Failure's Not Flattering
by Angiil
Summary: Draco Malfoy will come to find that saving a mudblood's life isn't as bad as he first thought it was. It's worse. Because among the problem of his father being angry, there's some thing else he finds he will have to worry about even more.
1. Chapter One: Falling 7 Flights

**Chapter One:** Falling 7 Flights

"Hermione, why don't you come with us to the Quidditch pitch?" It was Sunday, June 8th. A practice day for the Gryffindor Quidditch team and the last game was to be held within the week before exams, and Hermione was again turning down Harry and Ron's offer to join them, to watch them fly and soar and again turn down the chance of flying with them after practice.

"Sorry boys, I'm just going to go study some Ancient Ruins, okay?" Hermione said turning to them before they separated and went their separate ways to the Library and the Quidditch Pitch.

"So you'll be there when we're done?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I have a lot to go over,"

"But 'Mione you've went over it all a thousand times!" Ron said amazed.

"A thousand and one never hurt any body," She smirked.

Ron rolled his eyes; Harry laughed and said, "See you then,"

"Yep," Hermione said turning around and walking down her stair case.

"Have fun, _studying_!" Ron said as if she were mental.

"I shall," She shouted back laughing. She sighed and shook her head and opened a book to read while she walked down the stairs. She leaned her left arm against the railing to keep her balance as she walked and read, it was quite slow, but calming none the less. She drifted her arm a long the railing, mumbling words from the chapter to herself. Suddenly she no longer felt the railing under her arm. She lost balance and started to fall to her left, where her weight had been leaning. She screamed and realized the stair cases must have been changing, but that didn't help.

She heard Harry and Ron yelling. She tried to reach for her wand to say a charm, any charm. She knew Ron and Harry didn't carry their wands to Quidditch which she now found more thoughtless then ever. She panicked in her head and felt ready to land hard on a marble floor to more then likely die. She squeezed her eyes shut, as her mind went blank for once in her life and probably the last time in her life.

But just as she felt gravity pulling her back down and preparing to collide down on the solid floor, she crashed on some thing other than the floor. In fact she fell in some one's arms. _I'm a live? _She opened her eyes slowly but all she could see before her eyes fell shut again were wide grey eyes, staring bleakly down at her.


	2. Chapter Two: Saving Granger

**Chapter Two:** Saving Granger

"Want to get out of here Draco? Get outside or something?" Blaise asked Draco who was being annoyed by Pansy Parkinson and only found it fitting to save his best friend from such torture.

"Definitely," He answered gratefully, "Pansy, get off!" Draco demanded shaking her off his arm.

"But, Drakkie!" Pansy whined.

"_But Drakkie_," Blaise mocked. "Go read a book or some thing, surely your life consists of more then obsessing over Draco,"

"Reading a book?" Blaise nodded dumbly to again mock her, "What's the fun in that?" Pansy said rolling her eyes and slumping back on the over-stuffed black Slytherin couch.

"You might learn some thing, just maybe!" Draco said rolling his eyes as they stepped out of the porthole, Blaise laughed, "Thanks Blaise,"

"No problem, as much as I like enjoy seeing you stare at her with those death threatening eyes," He said thoughtfully, "I thought I would help you out even if that means being mean to her. I think I'm losing my touch of patience," He said holding his heart and shaking his head.

"If that's what you're losing, I'm glad you're losing it," Draco said seriously, "one more second of her and I would have strangled her," Blaise nodded and leaned against the wall. He knew Draco wasn't really meaning to go outside. He just needed to get any where away from Pansy so they stood outside of their dormitory by the Great Hall. Draco began to pace, "I mean...you never have a girlfriend Blaise, how do you do it? How do you just some how keep the women away? What's your secret?" Draco at this point in his life was only surrounded around Slytherin girls; therefore he did not find much benefit from relationships. Not even sex, any more.

"Well my man," He said patting Draco's back, he opened his mouth to say some thing but there were screams coming from all around them; Blaise looked up, "Draco!"

Draco looked up and a body figure was about to fall on his head, he stepped back and held out his arms. At first her weight over took his balance and he leaned forward a bit, but he choked up on his hold on her body and regained balance. He looked down at the person who he had just saved and it was, "_Granger_?" He whispered weirdly. Her eyes were glassy and looked into his for a moment before she shut her own eyes and fainted in his arms.

"Whoa," Blaise said looking up, "looks like she _almost_ had a bad fall," Draco nodded not knowing why he wasn't dropping the mudblood on the dirty ground where she belonged. Draco realized Blaise never used the words mudblood, because his grandparents had been mudbloods. Only since recently had his family's decedent's married only into pureblood family's. And some how Draco still respected him. But he didn't respect Hermione Granger and he didn't know why he was still holding her or why he cared, "we need to get her to the Hospital Wing,"

"Yeah," Blaise said.

Draco quickly headed to the hospital wing just down the corridor as he heard is last name being called by her friends. For some reason he ignored it, and he was in too much wonder to wonder why.


	3. Chapter Three: Malfoy?

**Chapter Three:** Malfoy?

"I don't know why she doesn't try flying," Ron said shaking his head.

"It scares her to death?" Harry inquired.

"Oh I know," Ron acknowledged, "I just thought she should at least have tried it more then once before she decided that, but Hermione's always been like that. So sure of every thing, so predictable,"

"That's why it's not surprising she's trying to spend a summer in Rome learning about Ancient Ruins instead of with us,"

Ron nodded, "and she's not even spending her last few days being with us,"

Harry nodded just as they heard Hermione's scream. They jolted around on the stairs railing and saw her falling down, all the way down.

"Hermione!" They both screeched.

"I don't have my wand," Ron stressed, "I can't watch,"

"Look! Some body's caught her!" Harry said pointing down.

Ron's eyes shot open and he looked down only to see Draco Malfoy holding Hermione protectively in his arms, "Malfoy?" Ron said madly.

"Ron! He saved Hermione, forget the fact he's a bad person for a second," Harry said surprising him self with the words.

"Okay..." Ron decided, "Let's go make sure he's taking her to the Hospital Wing,"

Harry nodded and followed Ron swiftly around the halls till they met Malfoy running down the hall.

"Malfoy!" Harry shouted. But Malfoy didn't stop, instead he ran even quicker with Blaise following closely behind him. "Since when does he care?" Harry said under his breathe, continuing on after them with Ron.


	4. Chapter Four: Failure's Not Flattering

**Chapter Four:** Failure's Not Flattering

"Did you hear them?" Blaise inquired.

"Yeah, but she needs more attention than they do," Draco said simply striding into the Hospital Wing, hearing them run after him and placing her on a free bed.

"What happened to Miss Granger?" Madam Pomfrey demanded appearing from under her desk and running over to them. She placed her hand on Hermione's fore head and looked expectantly at him.

"She fell," Draco said.

"Probably from the 7th floor, that's where the Gryffindor common room is," Blaise said.

"But a fall like that would have killed her," The witch insisted.

Draco couldn't bring himself to say it. "Draco caught her," Blaise said for Draco.

"Be happy Mr. Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey smiled at Draco's still amazed from the whole affair look, "I think you are responsible for saving Hermione Granger's life,"

"But I'm Draco Malfoy," He breathed quietly.

"She's okay right?" Harry demanded.

"She's going to be fine?" Ron asked unsteadily.

"Oh Potter, Weasley," Pomfrey acknowledged, "Yes of course she will, thanks to Mr. Malfoy, she's just fainted is all. I'll have her back to the books in a day or two,"

Pomfrey went to go get some potions to revive her with. Harry and Ron looked at Draco awkwardly. Ron scratched the back of his neck, "I don't really know how to say this...it's just..."

Draco still stared down at her, not really listening to their words. That one second where he saved her life was now turning into endless questions as to why he didn't just drop her.

"What Ron's trying to say is," Harry took over seeing as Ron had a sudden loss of words, but Malfoy still looked down at Hermione, "Is that..we're thankfu- I mean, er...Thanks Malfoy," He seemed to have difficulty saying, "Thanks for saving Hermione,"

"Some body had to," Blaise pointed out, touching at the fact Harry and Ron didn't, yet they obviously witnessed it.

Harry bit back the anger to blow up at him by being thankful that he had not just lost some thing close to him again, he couldn't bare it. Ron and Hermione were all he had. Harry just nodded and smiled and looked at Hermione, who now he noticed was being stared at by Malfoy. He saw him shake his head.

"Let's go Blaise," Malfoy said not taking his eyes off Hermione.

"Don't you want Hermione to know _you_ rescued her?" Ron asked.

"She won't be up for a day or two, what's the need in wasting time?" Malfoy said. It was the worst thing he could say at the moment, he was full of wonder and he was walking away from the answer. She could wake up, be her know-it-all self and he could relax as things got back to normal. But instead Malfoy walked out of the room with Blaise. As the big door shut behind him he walked straight to the wall and banged his head against it purposely.

"It's bothering you that much?" Blaise said shutting the big doors behind them.

"You have no idea," Draco said turning around, "If my father finds out he's going to kill me,"

"He'd do that?" Blaise asked raising an eyebrow.

"This is Lucius Malfoy we're talking about Blaise," Draco said as if he were talking about Voldemort, because in truth his father was almost just as bad as Voldemort, "she's a mudblood, it's my fault her filthy existence still thrives!" Draco sighed, "At least that is what father would say. He'll do more then lecture me on this one. He'll make me feel the pain I should have made her feel,"

Blaise breathed out, as sympathetic as he was for Draco, he found it remarkable some one could do that to their own flesh and blood, "he's done it before hasn't he? Hurt you for doing the wrong things? You've told me about it...but not recently, in Second year you came back limping. I didn't ask but for some reason you came and talked to me,"

"Doing wrong things keep me alive," Draco said, "Wrong to him is considering mercy, considering not worshiping and following the dark lord. Wrong to him is looking on the bright side of things, having a heart, being happy," Draco sighed, "He hasn't lectured me or taught me a lesson since second year. I really did learn my lesson," Finally answering Blaise's question, "The summer before Second year, we saw Granger, Potter and Weasley. He told me to call Granger a mudblood after he had seen her muggle parents...any ways, I tried to argue the subject and he- well you get the picture. It was better by Quidditch though,"

"But that's not it," Blaise said, "Your father isn't the only thing bothering you is it?" Draco shot a questioning look at Blaise. His face read: how could it be any thing else? "You know this is arguably not your fault. So come on, what else is it? Potter and Weasley?" Blaise walked closer to Draco, "You've told me every thing, from your hate for Pansy, to your hate for your Dad," Draco knew this was true. The only people Draco knew and trusted were Blaise and his mother. Sure he had a lot of friends, Crabbe, Goyle and the Slytherin Quidditch team. But Crabbe and Goyle just followed him when they weren't eating, and the Quidditch team had always honored Draco for the gift his father had given to the team to enhance them.

"It's not Potter or Weasley," Draco said knowing he wouldn't get out of Blaise's interrogation, "its Granger,"

"Ah," Blaise said, "saving her life isn't a good thing is it? Not only is it bad in the fact your father might take some leap of fury at this and blame you completely...it is also bad in the fact you don't regret catching her?"

"Blaise-"

"And," Blaise said boldly going on, "That's bad because, even if you would have known who it was and even if you may have dropped her for mercy on yourself from your father, you wouldn't have. Correct?"

"Listen Blaise, maybe father won't find out. Maybe this will all just pass by and some day Granger will owe me a favor?"

"Maybe," Blaise said, "are you sure you want to leave at that for now?"

"Positive," Draco breathed, not sure at what else it could be left at. "Failure's not exactly flattering,"

Blaise shook his head, "it's not a failure,"

"For my father it will be," Draco sighed.

There was a silence for a moment but Blaise spoke up soon enough, "Are you going to go see her?"

"I couldn't just go _see_ her," Draco said, "It might look as if I care," Draco hesitated, "which I don't,"

"But don't you?" Draco looked away from Blaise, "Listen mate, some body will be ordered to bring her home work and we have Potions first. You can work it out with Snape to bring her the back work and then be able to bring her any others from class,"

"But Blaise-," Draco said turning around quickly. Blaise raised a hand and Draco sighed, "I don't get why I'm doing this,"

"You care," Blaise smiled and they began to walk back to the Slytherin common room.

"No I don't," Draco defended.

"Yes, Draco, I'm afraid you do and the reason why you are going to bring her what she'll want the most in the Hospital is to see why you care and just how much you do."

Draco sighed, "Blaise, you're a Slytherin. Why are you helping me figure out some 'feelings' for a mudblood when you should be laughing at them and dismissing them?"

"Because it's me! Blaise Zabini! The first understanding and supportive Slytherin, also the first that doesn't follow or talk to you for fear or popularity," Blaise said patting Draco on the back.

"Never thought that was possible," Draco shook his head in disbelief.


	5. Chapter Five: Ginny's Riot

**Chapter Five:** Ginny's Riot

"Okay boys, time to leave," Madam Pomfrey said, "You can visit her tomorrow after classes,"

"But Madam-," Harry protested.

"It's 10 o'clock boys! All she will be doing is sleeping, you and Mr. Weasley have watched her long enough,"

"Alright," Ron said, "we're leaving. Come on Harry,"

"Right," Harry said. He let go of Hermione's hand that he had been holding since Malfoy left and he had sat on the right side of her bed. Ron had been sitting on her left, holding her other hand, debating and complaining non-stop about how stupid he had been to not have been able to save her. But deep down Harry felt worse then Ron, he knew he did. He let go of Hermione's hand and followed Ron, who looked back at Hermione hesitantly as he walked out of the Hospital wing.

"I still can't believe it," Harry said quietly breaking the silence as they walked through the corridors to the Gryffindor Tower.

"The fact she fell or the fact Malfoy caught her?" Ron asked.

"The fact I couldn't do any thing," Harry answered simply, "the fact Malfoy caught and saved one of my best friends lives when I couldn't,"

"I know..." Ron said.

"No you don't!" Harry said, turning around just before the came to the portrait of the fat lady, "I should have done some thing, any thing! Jumped after her! I just stood there and watched what could have been her death. What if that scum hadn't been there and she had died?"

"Harry I think I understand this better then you think I do. But as always, you just want to be the hero! It has nothing to do with the fact Malfoy saved her, you should be thankful that 'scum' was there, even if you couldn't have done any thing because he definitely could. So about calling him 'scum'..." Ron shot his head back irritably, "As much as I've EVER hated him, Scum is the last thing I would call Malfoy right now!" Ron breathed out and watched Harry fume, "Listen, it's not your fault you couldn't help her. I couldn't help her either, okay? But right now, all things considering, why can't you just be happy she's still a live?"

Harry sighed and thought for a minute, looking down. After awhile his head was back up and he was wearing a small smile of realization, "You're right Ron, sorry,"

Ron sighed; "its okay," Ron patted Harry on the back as they walked towards the porthole. Ron gave the password, the portrait swung open and they walked in.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Some one screamed. Harry and Ron looked up to see Ginny absolutely fuming. Ron and Harry looked at her questioningly and opened their mouths, but at the same time they came to realization, "WHERE WERE YOU!" She demanded.

"Ginny calm do-," Harry said.

"NO!" She snapped, "where were you!"

"Hermione fell!" Ron said his eyes widening with anger.

"What?" She said breathing out in rage.

"We were on our way to the pitch and Hermione headed off in the direction of the library, we were on our way and the stair case changed and she slipped," Harry explained.

"WHAT! HOW? WHERE IS SHE?" Ginny demanded, "Is she...,"

"No," Ron sighed.

"But how-,"

"Malfoy," Harry said simply.

"Malfoy?" Ginny questioned.

"Yes, Malfoy caught her before she hit the ground," Harry explained, "he kind of..."

"…saved her life," Ron sighed.

"Draco Malfoy _saved_ Hermione's life?" Ginny asked.

"Yes!" Colin Creevy said appearing behind Harry and Ron, "have it all on film!" He said cheerfully raising his camera. "Even got a shot of you two," Ron and Harry looked at him disbelievingly, "at least once Malfoy had caught Hermione and realized just who he had saved, the look on his face was quite remarkable: but not as much as yours. Of course the story that I've just sent to the Daily Prophet a long with the copy I have here jus-,"

"What do you mean, _just sent to the Daily Prophet_?" Ron snapped grabbing the bundle of parchment under Colin's arm, "why?"

"Well," Colin said excitedly, "after Hogwarts I was thinking of writing for the Daily Prophet! This is a great first story, don't you think?"

Ron unrolled it and read, "_Hogwarts switching staircase causes top-witch to fall into the arms of her loathed enemy: DRACO MALFOY!_?" Ron read on, "_Best friends Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter watch the act helplessly_?"

Harry's eyes struck open wide, "Colin," Harry said almost shaking with ferocity.

"Oh I know Harry! This could really open doors for me, I mean; this has to be front page material,"

"Colin," Harry repeated angrily.

"I think you should go..." Ginny said quietly to Colin. Colin nodded and scurried off, seeing as Harry really didn't seem as friendly at the moment.

"They'd never put this in the Prophet would they?" Ron asked, "I mean...they wouldn't would they?"

"You never know, Fudge is always looking for some thing juicy against Harry," Ginny said.

"Yeah you can bet this will be appearing tomorrow," Harry sighed miserably.

"Wonder how Malfoy's going to take it?" Ginny said grinning.

"I guess that's an upside," Ron grinned thinking of Malfoy protesting once he saw the paper the next day.

"Even if we do appear hopeless," Harry pointed out with a sigh.

"Was my mouth really opened that wide?" Ron asked with a sudden change of subject from staring at the paper.

Ginny snatched the paper away, "That still doesn't solve Quidditch!"  
"Ginny! How could you possibly think about Quidditch at a time like this?" Ron said, still staring at his wide-open mouth.

"That's exactly it! We're in the finals with Ravenclaw, there's no better time to worry about it then a time like this, besides Hermione's fine, so I don't see why we have to worry about it much more at the moment," Ginny sighed at their alarmed faces, "Can we just pick a date before next weekend when we can book the pitch?"

Harry rolled his eyes and decided, "Tuesday?"

"Why not tomorrow?" She demanded.

"Because we'll be seeing Hermione tomorrow," said Ron.

Ginny looked at them, opened her mouth then shut it at a loss of words. She rolled her eyes, "I'll book it," She said quietly walking in between them to get out through the porthole.

Harry sighed walking towards the stairs and he knew Ron was behind them, "Now that that's been dealt with...what are we actually going to do about this?" Harry said handing the paper to Ron as they walked into their room.

Harry took off his still clean Quidditch suit and just sat cross legged on his bed with only boxers on as Ron mumbled to himself thinking of ideas. He turned around to Harry once he was himself only in boxers, "do we still hate Malfoy?"

"As grateful as we are, I don't think it makes up for it…he didn't even mean to save her and I bet if he could have done it again he wouldn't have. He's probably regretting it,"

Ron nodded, "I think we can just say if he doesn't start any thing we won't either,"

"That works," Harry sighed.

"You know the worst part about this whole thing?"

"What?" Harry said lying back on his bed, not sure if he was ready for any more bad news.

"It's the fact that this will give_...him_, clues to what you are up to," Ron whispered.

Harry groaned, as if things weren't horrible already. He had missed Quidditch, he had watched his best friend nearly die, _and_ the fact the whole Wizarding World including Voldemort would know. Voldemort would know Hermione's death was some thing that would kill him inside just as much as his parent's death did. He knew Voldemort was probably too weak to plot a plan involving Hermione but there was a whole Seventh Year window of opportunity. And Ginny was also mad at him.

Ever since last year when he had been made Captain and let Ginny join the team as a Chaser, he knew there was some thing between them. Even when he first saw her at Kings Cross and when he saved her in Second Year. And even when he fancied and kissed Cho...some how he knew he would still feel some thing for Ginny. But just as every other girl, she would find a flaw with him. And now she had chosen the same most, including Cho had, Hermione. Harry could not help his feelings for Hermione. He could not help but be discouraged and forget about Quidditch when his friend had almost died. Maybe Ginny just needed time to understand him, or maybe no one ever would.

"You know she's just jealous," Ron said still pacing.

"What?" Harry said.

"I know what you're thinking about," Ron said.

"I'm thinking about Hermione," Harry said simply.

"Yes, and your also thinking about my sister. You know she's jealous of Hermione. She's jealous of the fact you forgot Quidditch over Hermione," Ron said.

Harry knew what Ron was speaking of, but denied it, "It's not a crime to forget some silly sport when your best friend almost died," Harry said calmly.

"I know mate," Ron said sitting beside him knowing he didn't mean what he just said about Quidditch, "I think Ginny just maybe feels like in the process of forgetting Quidditch you may have forgotten her as well,"

"Listen Ron, I know the feelings Ginny has. She also knows the feelings I hold for her," Harry sighed, "But she doesn't understand how to not get jealous of the fact one of my best friends is a girl. Just like Cho has, she is probably jumping to some odd conclusion about my feelings for Hermione,"

"Maybe," Ron said.

"I mean, if some how it were you that had been in Hermione's situation," Harry began.

"Do you think of me nearly dying often?" Ron said sarcastically, Harry acknowledged it but more ignored it.

"I'm just saying if it were you, do you honestly think Ginny would have been so upset?" Ron shot him a wide eyed look, "I mean...with me? The fact I forgot about Quidditch?"

"Oh," Ron said, "well...no then. But she'd probably show a bit more caring towards the situation actually. Don't you think Ginny's been a bit bitter with Mione lately?"

"Yes," Harry said, "and I think its my fault," he shook his head, "any ways...maybe I'll get Ginny alone tomorrow, maybe I can try and explain some things...other then that I just want to get some sleep so I can visit Hermione before breakfast, want me to get you up?"

"Yeah," Ron said walking over to his bed, "if you don't mind, I'll probably be sleeping this whole thing off any ways,"

"Yeah," Harry nodded knowing what a heavy sleeper Ron was. Harry climbed under his blanket, and turned on his side. He breathed deeply, and wasn't tired, good thoughts of Ginny filled his mind and then bad ones of Hermione from today did. But he fell asleep soon any ways; sure he wouldn't be having peaceful dreams.


	6. Chapter Six: The Complicated Life

**Chapter Six:** The complicated life of a dragon

Draco opened his eyes. It was still dark out, but Draco knew it was morning. He looked to the clock and it read 5:59. He sighed, he was still tired. He had just had a seven hour restless sleep. He had tossed and turned, hoping to find some mercy on his thoughts but as always in his life there was no mercy, _only with Blaise_. His thoughts of Hermione had never left his mind. In his mind he was now addressing her as Hermione, even if he knew he couldn't in person or ever in his life.

_I saved her life. My father would be disappointed in me for these actions, yet I'm not ashamed not of them still. Why?_ Draco sighed. _My father isn't a threat; he wouldn't do worse then wound me. He couldn't kill me, he wants to use me as a tool once my 18th birthday hits in April of next year. It's Granger. And my father. It's my father because he will take action for my actions yesterday and its Granger because I fear saving her life may have altered the feelings I've been brought up to feel for her. _Draco sighed getting up from his bed, in fact with every thought that crossed his mind, it caused Draco to sigh. Things were so confusing and none the less complicated.

_It all seemed to make sense when my father would tell me how to put the Weasley's down, how to harp on mudbloods, that it did not matter if I had made friends with Potter or not, because regardless I would help in the plot of his death_. But Draco was now finding out for himself that maybe his father was wrong. Since the past year his father had escaped from Azkaban and used their basement as a hiding and meeting place for all Death Eaters. Even Voldemort himself; Draco came to find he looked just as malicious as he sounded.

_What is so bad about being good? Being happy? Not following the Dark Lord?_ Draco was sure he would find that out if he tried to not follow the Dark Lord after his 18th Birthday. He knew his father had control over him, but the truth was Voldemort had control over Lucius. He was like Voldemort's little bitch doing every thing Voldemort ordered, thinking he was some kind of loyal noble for the dark side. Draco stepped into the shower and turned the tap so the shower would beat down on his chest. He turned around and let the water fall down his hair and back.

As he washed his hair he wondered how his life ever became so complicated in a split second. Before this and before Pansy was annoying it had been so simple. He was better than every one; he was to make himself and every one around believe that. If he could not bate Potter into being his friend he would be his nemesis and any of his friends were to receive the same amount of suffering. And the fact his father had found flaws of their own in Potter's friends caused Draco to torment them even more. Ron Weasley was poor with a large family that all had flaming red hair and all hammy-downs. Draco was taught to comment on it every time he had the chance. And then there was her, the mudblood.

Draco had been taught only in second year of Granger being a mudblood, when they saw her muggle parents talking to Mr. Weasley in Diagon Alley. Once they had had their little chat with the trio, Lucius had told Draco to never let her forget she didn't belong at Hogwarts. Or any where they considered her a witch for that matter. _But she does._ Draco remembered how he had defended against his father at first. _The limp. But that wasn't right, even if it killed me I shouldn't have let him win._ Draco remembered it perfectly. He had always known mudbloods didn't deserve to be at Hogwarts, but he never even considered she was one due to her intelligence. She is a more capable witch then Pansy, any other witch in her year and she is more capable then most Seventh years. But Draco's father convinced him she only studied endlessly to make it seem like she belonged at that school. The voice of his fathers said in his head "no body likes a know-it-all", which Snape had learned to use more then Draco himself.

The next step of his simple planned life was to become a death eater after leaving Hogwarts. To inherit his fathers property and wealth if any thing would happen to him for defending the Dark Lord, and carry on the Malfoy blood line as a servant to darkness, with a pureblood witch, even if it had to be Pansy. But since the beginning Sixth year, once facing this fact of life had started to not make sense to him he started to bring up his marks in school, not to show his father he was smarter then Granger, he was already under pressure to do that. But to show himself that there could possibly be another answer to the rest of his life then making others miserable and himself in the process.

Draco now found it almost pointless to make fun of people but he knew he dare not stop because how could he let people that thought they knew him so well has a horrible person know that he was actually less then appalling. The only person that knew Draco was getting sick of his fathers arranged life for him was Blaise.

Blaise was the only friend Draco had that had not judged him. That had not befriended him just because he was scared. He knew the real him before Draco himself did. Draco actually even didn't like Blaise at the beginning for contradicting why he made fun of people in second year when he had went to talk to him about his leg and his father for the first time. But then Blaise made sense. He read his thoughts and explained their meaning some how. But it all still left Draco in a puddle of confusion. Because as much as school made him happy, safe and helped him forget about his father, he knew that within two weeks he would be returning back to it.

Draco turned the shower off and began to get ready. He rubbed a towel harshly through his short hair and put on a fresh pair of boxers a long with a clean uniform. He left his sweater and cloak off as he did his hair. Ever since fourth year he had began gelling it once more. _I really need a change._ Draco sighed gelling back his hair perfectly with the same old gel he had been using since he was 7. He washed the spare gel off his hands and looked out the window, the sun was now rising.

_It's beautiful_. Just as he had that thought another related one came into his mind. _Hermione Granger...Granger?_ He argued it in his mind for a moment but he could not deny looking at that the golden horizon. He saw the same beauty in Granger. _What am I thinking?_ Draco asked himself hitting his head. He shut the drapes, picked up his bag and left his room to go see Snape.

The Common Room was scarce, far be it for a Slytherin to get up at a proper hour. Before he left he took a piece of parchment from his bag and wrote a note to Blaise pushing it under his door explaining he would meet him in Potions. The halls were empty except for the common house elf dusting before most of the students awoke. The portraits were still sleeping, he noticed as he came towards the dungeons. He knew Snape's quarters connected to his office so went there instead of the dungeon classroom.

He knocked on the door hoping the professor would be up. He looked at his watch and it read 6:45. The door opened revealing a tired Snape.

"Did I wake you Professor?" Draco asked.

"No no, not at all Draco," he said letting Draco into his office, "What can I do for you?" he said sitting in his chair.

"Well I don't know if you're aware yet but Granger, Hermione Granger, she's in the Hospital Wing, I'd like to-,"

"Why may I ask is Granger in the Hospital Wing, Malfoy?" Snape asked sternly hoping Malfoy was not responsible.

"Oh, uh, she fell, Professor. Off of the switching stair cases and I caught her; I was just wondering if I could bring her the work from today, Madam Pomfrey said she will be up within a day. So I thought I could bring her work from each class,"

"Why not?" Snape said in the relief he would not have to take points from his own house, "I'll give you the work once class is over. Tell me Draco, why such an interest in Granger, dare I say mudblood?"

"Well, I-...Professor, is your arm okay?" Draco asked noticing Snape took a wince of pain and clutched his forearm that was under his black robes. Snape was silent for a moment, probably trying to find words.

"This is no matter, just returned from your manor actually," Snape explained. It was not casually Snape discussed this matter with Draco, "both the Dark Lord and Lucius are asking about you, mind you the purpose of the meeting was more than that," Snape smiled at Draco who began to look worried, "do not fear, I told them nothing bad. And if you would like I will not mention this incident to them?"

Draco thought for a moment and thought it would probably be better if no one did find out about this, "Yes, please don't Professor,"

"Do you need any thing else Draco?" Snape said obviously forgetting the question he had asked Draco to answer from the pain he must of had in his arm.

"No," Draco wanted to ask Snape if he really gave Voldemort the real information about this school. He wanted to have long discussions with why he insisted on working for both sides. Most of all he wondered why some one would work for Voldemort but decided to leave it till next year, when it was more significant. He had came for a favor and got it, he no longer was needed here, "thank you Professor,"

"You're welcome Draco," Snape said.

Draco left the Professor to his arm. He was happy he got what he came for but was now reconsidering the matter. _This is silly. I am going to be a death eater in less then a year and I'm considering having feelings for a mudblood._ He went to the Quidditch Pitch, knowing it would be empty and free at this time. This was one of the last times he would get to fly at school. He knew Slytherin had been taken out in the finals by Ravenclaw, but the thought no longer bothered him. He was studying their techniques, the techniques they would carry on next year instead of looking for the Snitch. So when Draco became Captain next year, of course if Goyle hadn't, then he would know how to defend against them. As Draco got on his Nimbus and kicked off the ground he breathed in the air. _I _will_ win the cup next year_. He soared around and looked at his watched it read: 7:23. He had a half an hour left to fly and then he had to make it to Potions.

Draco didn't feel like breakfast. Just like flying into the sky and forgetting his problems for the time he could. He some times wished he could just fly away, _maybe some day I will. Would I ever be that lucky? To just fly away..._Draco closed his eyes and let the wind carry him, though he still had complete control over his broom. It was always this time he imagined any thing was possible, because down on the ground just about every thing seemed to be impossible.


	7. Chapter Seven: The Daily Prophet, Part 1

**Chapter Seven:** The Daily Prophet Pt, 1

_"Harry, no, please, help me, Harry!" Hermione screamed falling, reaching her hands up trying to catch hold of him, "Harry! Don't let me-,"_

"No," Harry roared jumping up in bed. He looked around the room and the pleasant familiar sound of Ron's snoring came into melody in his ears. He sighed using his forearm to wipe his forehead, which along with his body, was dripping in a cold sweat. He climbed out of bed and into the washroom. After his shower he walked back into the dark room with only a towel around his waist and sighed as he looked at his bed, now fully awake, "it was only a dream," he said to himself, reassuring himself Hermione was okay.

He got on his uniform and got his pomade out of his dresser. He got a scoop or it, mixed it in his hands and ran it through his hair, "shining and defining". Harry mused at the words; they were the ones Ginny used when she took him to buy hair supplies for his normally unruly hair.

He put on his glasses and went to Ron's bedside. He was moaning, but Harry shoved his side, "Ron wake up," he shifted in his bed, "Ron!"

"Be quiet," Neville groaned throwing a pillow from the other side of the room, almost hitting Harry in the head.

Harry lowered his voice, "Sorry," he said, "Ron!" He whispered harshly.

"Spiders!" Ron yelled opening his eyes and pulling away from Harry's grip but in the process he fell off the other side of the bed. Harry almost laughed. Ron hid behind the bed, "Get away you spiders!" He said shooting up from behind the bed with his wand. Harry laughed; he couldn't hold it in any more.

"Can you pipe down?" Seamus groaned into his pillow.

"Harry," Ron said annoyed, throwing his wand on the bed. Harry through him his uniform.

"Me a spider?" Harry laughed, as Ron walked into the bathroom.

Ron walked out about 2 minutes later, showered and fully clothed. Harry was sitting on his bed smirking, "don't be smiling! I almost kedavered you,"

"Why? You thought I was a spider that wanted you to tap dance?" Harry said as Ron combed his hair.

"Be quiet," Ron said harshly, "I still have nightmares bout that, ever since Third Year," he sighed, "they wanted me to fly with them this time...imagine that?" Ron said.

"Shut up!" Seamus and Neville shouted throwing pillows at them.

"Only with your imagination," Harry said shaking his head and handing Ron his bag as he picked up his own, "come on, Mione should be up,"

"Harry it's not funny," Ron said as they walked in silence to the Hospital Wing, although Ron still knew Harry was amused.

"I wasn't laughing," Harry said innoscently, "at least not any more,"

"Shut up," Ron defended. "Although I guess its better to be amused at a time like this right?" Ron said opening the doors to the Hospital Wing, "even if my night mares are NOT funny and causing me psychological harm,"

"Right Ron," Harry said grinning as he walked to Hermione's bedside but some one was already there, "Ginny?"

Ginny sprung awake, she had been leaning down on Hermione's bed, "oh, hello," she said wiping her eyes.

"Have you been here all night?" Ron said.

"Kind of," Ginny said.

"But how? Madam Pomfrey kicked us out,"

"You don't have certain information against Madam Pomfrey though do you?" Ginny said yawning.

"Oh," Ron said, "why didn't I think of that?"

"Because your always rude to Colin and he's the only one the knows," Ginny explained.

"Whatever," Ron said.

"So you just came here once you left last night?" Harry asked sitting beside Ginny, Ron went to the other side of the bed.

"Well," Ginny said, "I booked the pitch for Tuesday," she yawned, "and then I went to check out the scene of Hermione's incident. Hermione had predictably been reading when she parted from the both of you," Ginny said holding up a book, "I found it on the first floor, by the Slytherin Common room, any ways, the stair cases usually change and switch around but not when there is a student on them. Some thing must have been wrong, but apparently Colin didn't know what it was either, he called it a mystery." Ginny said handing Ron a copy of the Daily Prophet.

With no doubt, the story was on the front page, "how come we didn't see this when he handed us the copy last night?"

"Well, I think you were a bit more worried about our headline and our picture," Harry said taking the paper, "which made it on the front page as well," Harry threw the paper back to Ron, "great,"

"Even if the stair case did change, wouldn't Hermione of noticed?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out. If she was tired lost in reading and it was slowly changing…maybe not, but it's long run,"

"Why does it matter?" Harry said, "The stair case is just broken. Its going to be fixed, Hermione fell, thank god she's okay,"

"Well it matters because once the parents of the children in this school read this; they will be worried for their children's safety. This could have been done purposely," Ginny said. "There was no warning not to go on the stairs,"

Ron was confused, "Who would want Hermione to...,"

"No one," Harry said simply, "the only suspect we could of ever had, saved her,"

"True," Ginny said. "Besides, any one could have walked down the stairs before Hermione,"

Ron put the paper down. Harry also wanted to push it out of his mind, considering there was nothing they could really do any more, "Has she changed at all?" Harry asked.

"No," Ginny said, "Well she has been a bit uneasy in her sleep, a bit sweaty...but thats to expect, Madam Pomfrey says if she were to get any worse she would give her some dreamless sleep potion,"

"You're the last person I expected to see here," Ron commented at the attention Ginny was giving Hermione.

"Ron," Ginny said, "I know I've been a bit upset, with her. But that's why I'm so worried. What if she would have...while I was mad at her? I just feel so full of regret I guess. Because when she was helping me practice for OWL's last week, lets just say I wasn't as kind as I should have been...any ways I want to be the first to see her, to apologize," Ginny admitted.

"We should apologize as well," Harry said, "I'm never leaving my room with out my wand again," Harry said gripping it in his pocket.

"Same here," Ron said, "even in Quidditch," Harry nodded in agreement.

"Well," Madam Pomfrey said appearing, "You lot had better run off to class,"

"Alright," They said picking up their bags.

"Bye 'Mione," Ron said looking back at Hermione's sleeping figure as they exited.

"See you at lunch," Ginny said heading towards Defense against the Dark Arts.

"See you," Harry said.

Ron brought out the newspaper as they walked towards the dungeons for Potions, "Wonder if Malfoy's seen this?"

"Hope not," Harry said.

"Why?" Ron asked.

Harry took the paper and examined it and said sarcastically, "I don't think that's his good side,"

Ron realistically said, "Yeah, turns out he might have one too,"


	8. Chapter Eight: Potions

**Chapter Eight:** Potions

"Are you going to ask him if we can take her work to her?" Ron asked Harry as they took their seats in the Potion class.

"Yes, but best do it after class," Harry said, "we might get points taken away if ask during class time," Harry pointed out rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," Ron agreed.

"Look," Harry said shoving Ron lightly in the ribs. Ron turned his head to the door, Malfoy was walking in. Malfoy shot them a look, more pleasant then his usual ones, and took his seat beside Blaise. Blaise began to talk to him.

"Wonder if he's seen the Prophet yet," Ron said.

"Doubt it," Harry said, "he doesn't look as if his whole world had just fallen down on him,"

Ron opened his mouth about to laugh but closed it and nodded as Snape slammed open the door and walked swiftly to the front of the class, "Quiet," he said boldly, drowning out all conversations. Snape went to the front of the class, "Today we will be working on Dreamless sleep potions, and for your final exam we will be concluding with Calming potions," Two of three students from the Slytherin house raised their hands. Snape waved them down and turned his back to the class room and began writing on the chalk board.

"A dreamless sleep potion as most of you know causes one to sleep, with no dreams. I would like all of you to write this definition down a long with the ingredients listed on the side board. For the rest of this week you will be working on a 2 foot essay due next Monday," Snape said, "On Thursday you will begin brewing the potion, leave it over night, finish it on Friday and hand it in with your essay on Monday," Snape turned to the class, "Since this Potion is so complicated you will require partners. Although for the last potion that gives you your final mark you will have no partners,"

A hand from the Gryffindor side rose, "And about partners, you will be with your own house in the planned pairs we made,"

A sigh of relief ran through the classroom and Ron mumbled to Harry, "wow," Because it really was surprising Snape would let them pair with their own houses, equaling happiness for the Gryffindor house. Considering the unequal amount of Gryffindor students in the classroom, since the transfer from Durmstrang (apparently there had been a fire and the transfer students parents were pyro-phobic), Hermione, Ron and Harry were allowed to pair together as a threesome.

"With one exception of course," Snape said, "Granger, she is in the Hospital Wing,"

Harry and Ron both raised their hands, "I know you are her regular partners Potter and Weasley, but as a teacher I have to give Granger a fighting chance. So since I have decided to assign Malfoy to bring Granger all of her assignments," Harry and Ron looked at Malfoy suspiciously but Malfoy was paying attention to Snape nodding to his request, "I will be pairing Malfoy with Granger and Zabini, you will join Potter and Weasley, " Both Harry and Ron's mouths were on the floor, "The rest of you into your usual pairs, Malfoy once you are done your notes that will be neat I'm sure, you can use the duplicating spell to duplicate a copy for Granger,"

"Yes professor," Malfoy said beginning to take notes. He looked up though as Blaise got up, "good luck," he whispered.

"Thanks," Blaise said quietly, taking Hermione's usual seat, "Okay so I was thinking that since the both of you probably don't want to spend study periods with me we could divide the parts of the essay in three parts equally and agree on which parts we will write about because there are about 7 steps to this potion, a long with the ingredients and definition,"

"Um, okay..." Ron said.

"Right," Harry said, "You're not...angry?"

"Just because you're not my best friends is no reason to get bad marks," Blaise said simply opening his books and pressing a smile upon his lips, "Ron would you like to write the ingredients, and if you can do the definition in your own words, Harry and I can work on the essay?"

"Uh, yea, okay, sure," Ron said beginning to write the ingredients and definition down from the board roughly.

"Okay Harry would you like open to essay or close it?" Blaise asked smiling.

"Open, I guess," Harry said exchanging bewildered looks with Ron.

"Great," Blaise said, "The first three steps are on page 437 in the text,"

"Okay," Harry said opening is book, "um thanks,"

"No problem, I'll handle the last four steps and other then brewing the potion we are half done," Blaise explained, "do the rough drafts of your part tonight and if you like on Wednesday I will write the final copy,"

Harry and Ron nodded; they were both speechless and in disbelief. "I never knew Slytherins were smart," Ron said bewildered, Blaise smiled at the compliment.

"We're not as bad as you think," Blaise told them.

A few minutes later Snape announced, "Class is dismissed; do not forget to work on your essay. Malfoy if you come here I will give you a paper to give to Miss Granger,"

"Yes Professor," Malfoy said packing up his things.

"Well see you tomorrow," Blaise said cheerfully packing his bag and going to Malfoy to wait for him as he preformed the duplicating spell.

"Yeah," Ron said. They walked out of the classroom, turned the corner and paused, "what just happened?" Ron asked.

"A Slytherin...was nice," Harry said not believing his own words, "and smart,"

"I wonder why it surprises me so much." Ron thought out loud as they began to walk again towards Divination class.

"Maybe the fact they've been nothing but horrible till this point?" Harry suggested.

"Till yesterday you mean," Ron pointed out.

"Yeah," Harry said, "hey wait..." Harry said finally remembering some thing, "how did Malfoy get to bring Hermione her work?"

"I don't know," Ron shrugged now wondering it for him self, "Snape probably just picked Malfoy, he probably thought his favorite student was more capable then her actual friends...and we actually are capable!"

"Yeah," Harry said, "perhaps it's because they have more classes together but let's hurry to class, the sooner we get there: the sooner classes are over. That means we're closer to seeing Hermione again,"


	9. Chapter Nine: The Daily Prophet, Part 2

**Chapter Nine:** The Daily Prophet, Part 2

"Are you almost ready?" Blaise asked Draco as he packed his bag.

"Yeah, I just need to get Her-, I mean Granger's work from Snape," Draco said.

"You've been thinking about her haven't you?" Blaise accused.

Draco narrowed his eyes at Blaise and shook his head. He walked to the front of the class room. Snape turned around and handed him a piece of parchment rolled up, and then about 5 small pieces of parchment not rolled up, "These are notes for her other Professor's to say you have permission to get her homework," Draco took the five papers, "and these are her notes from today," Draco took the roll of parchment.

"Thank you Professor," Draco said.

"Once she is better I would like you to explain the project you will be assigned to do with her," Snape said.

"Yes Professor," Draco said exiting with Blaise.

Once the door was shut Draco examined the notes to the other teachers, "She has: Ancient Ruins, Charms, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures and Defense against the Dark Arts. A long with Potions, surprising she isn't in Muggle History isn't it? It's probably too easy for her,"

"You haven't answered my question yet," Blaise reminded him.

"Why would I, Draco Malfoy, ever be thinking about a mudblood?" Draco asked as he still wondered why she wasn't in muggle history, even if it was easy. Perhaps she didn't always like being a know-it-all, or perhaps she didn't want to bring more attention to the fact she was muggle born. He would be sure to ask her if they ever got on friendly terms. _But it's not like I want to._

"It's not weird that you are," Blaise told him totally disregarding Draco's denial, "you saved the life of a girl who has thought nothing but horrible things about you, but that's only because she doesn't know that there's any thing good,"

"So it's alright to say she's been in my every thought since I've awoken and I don't know why?"

"Perhaps, what have you been thinking?"

Draco was about to describe the thoughts when he noticed every one was watching them, "Blaise does every body some how know of my one good deed?" He asked Blaise observing the whispers and girls giggling.

"I'm starting to think so," Blaise said trying to ignore the people.

Draco shook his head, "you know," Draco said trying to change the subject of his thoughts. Truthfully, he was not ready to share them when he wasn't sure of them himself, "if you get any nicer to Potter and Weasley, after this event and every thing...people are going to start to notice there is some thing good in the house of Slytherin?"

"There had to be some time didn't there?" Blaise asked.

"Possibly," Draco said, "I just don't think the judgmental people in this school are ready to accept it as easily as we're just not being stereotypical Slytherins any more,"

"Perhaps," Blaise said, "You know," he said observing the people, "I think just about every person knows you caught Granger yesterday...not one face hasn't turned to marvel at you,"

Draco sighed, "They can't help it Blaise, it's not the Hermione Granger thing, I'm just too dashing,"

Blaise laughed and stopped when he noticed a girl had ran up to them, "Hello," She had an Irish accent, seemed young enough to be a first year and had the Gryffindor symbol on her robes. She had blue eyes, dark straight hair, the tips of which were burnt. Draco noticed she was clutching a pen (a muggle writing device) and the Daily Prophet, "I'm Sandy Finnigan,"

"Um hello," Draco said.

"I was wondering if-,"

Blaise noticed Draco's face on the front page of the news paper, "Mate!" Blaise said pulling the Prophet from under the girls grip hands, "Look!"

Draco took the paper from Blaise and examined it, "what in bloody hell...," Draco said, his eyes widening.

The girl took her news paper back, "I was wondering if you could sign your picture for me," she directed to Draco.

"What?" Draco said, staring at the paper in the girl's hand, still not taking it in.

"If you could just sign your picture," She said giving him the paper with the pen, "My brother Seamus is always saying you're a bad person, he said you were mean and to stay away from you but this article just proves that's not true, and if you signed it would mean even more. What you did was so amazing. I hope I'll be able to save some body's life like you have someday,"

"Um," Draco took the pen and signed his picture, not really aware of what he was doing, "great,"

"Thank you!" She said throwing her arms around him for a hug, "you're my hero," Draco tapped her back lightly and she ran off to probably go blow some thing up again. Draco looked around the halls, every one shooting him glances. He now noticed that every single one of them had the Daily Prophet in their hands. They were whispering and he could hear all of it.

"Hero?" Draco said after the girl was gone. He shook his head, "Blaise, I've just been hugged," He said as if hugging was abnormal.

"I don't think that's your biggest problem," Blaise said taking him back to realization.

Draco nodded and walked up to a few Hufflepuff third years, "could I borrow this for a second?"

"Sure!" The four girls squealed, each holding out a copy.

He took just one and thanked the girls, pulling Blaise into an empty class room to read, "Hogwarts switching staircase causes top-witch to fall into the arms of an enemy?" Draco digested this and the gigantic picture of him holding Hermione Granger, the mudblood in his arms, "This isn't good,"

"I know," Blaise said.

"My father will receive this, he is one of the first people to receive the Daily Prophet every morning, well at least he is given it by my mother," Draco shook his head, "why this? Why all of this confusion when there is already enough confusion,"

"Your father isn't that much of a threat is he?" Blaise asked, considering the tone of Draco's voice was pure fear as soon as he breathed the word 'father'.

"Blaise," Draco said as if Blaise were mental and tried to make this particularly obvious that his father was indeed a threat, almost a bigger threat to him then Voldemort, "is Hermione a mudblood? Is Potter the only person ever known for surviving the death curse? Or any encounter with Voldemort for that matter? Is Pansy a little slut that's obsessed with me? Is Weasley's family so poor that they-,"

"I get it," Blaise said, cutting him off. He looked at the paper for a moment considering it then said the first thing that came to mind, "I guess you were serious about the more then lecture thing eh?" Draco nodded, "well, you could always avoid him,"

"How do I manage that?" Draco said, "I'm going home in just over two weeks,"

"Yes," Blaise said, "But, you know the applications for the trip for Ancient Ruins is still open, you're interested in that class. You could sign up,"

"But you have to write an essay to even be considered a spot to go, I would never make that. Besides that's two weeks after summer starts and I'll be back here a week before school starts again,"

"Exactly, that only leaves three weeks, just come stay at my house. Besides I'll help you with your essay so that's no problem at all," Right now this seemed like the best possible offer, avoiding his father at all costs. But how could he possibly avoid his father for ever? Soon enough his father would find him. His father could apparate here, his father could go to Rome where he might be studying this summer if he found out he would be there. His father could go any where! Hunt him down to give him just and fair punishments for his actions_. But I don't feel like I've done any thing wrong._ Draco argued with himself. _At first I questioned it, but saving lives isn't a bad thing, even if it's saving a life of a mudblood._ "So there, you have no reason to not come," Blaise decided, "Besides this is much more wiser then facing your dad,"

"I'll have to face him some time. And with no luck at all he will find me,"

"Then it is much wiser for the time being," Blaise reasoned.

"That's true," Draco admitted, although he didn't seem convinced, "are you sure this would be okay?"

"Positive," Blaise said, "I'll owl my mother at lunch," Draco sighed and nodded, fear still building up in his mind with every passing second. Blaise looked at his watch, "Look we'll be late for class, come on," Blaise took the paper off the desk and handed it to Draco, "a souvenir?"

"If only," Draco said shoving it in his bag and following Blaise out of the class room.

Blaise clapped his hand on Draco's back, "Don't worry mate, it will all be fine,"

"If only," Draco repeated with a sigh walking to Ancient Ruins a long side Blaise, trying to ignore prying eyes, looking to see where he headed.

Ancient Ruins was fine. Draco had always loved that class. But his liking for it overcame the seriousness he held for the class, so he never did well. Draco was becoming more confident with the hopeless plan until Professor Gibbs began to talk about the trip.

"And the essay's are due today," he said, "with minor exceptions of course, for various reasons. The ultimate and complete dead line is the ending of this week, no further applications will be accepted after Friday," Draco sighed. _Now what?_ "Class dismissed," The Professor said.

Draco looked at Blaise, "I have no hope of getting in on that trip now,"

"Don't worry; we'll explain it to him tonight at dinner alright?" Blaise asked.

Draco nodded with out the slightest bit of confidence and went to the front of the class room and gave the Professor the piece of parchment given to him by Snape. "Professor Snape would like me to pick up Grangers work," Draco said simply.

"Very well," The Professor said gathering pieces of work they begun today, "Could you let her know about the dead line for the essay? I know she was interested in it,"

"Yes Professor," Draco said taking the papers.

"Oh yes, and congratulations," Professor Gibbs said pointing down at his copy of the Daily Prophet, "Read it during breakfast. And I have to say, I had a very wrong opinion about you Mr. Malfoy, I'm sorry,"

"Oh, uh, it's okay Professor," Draco said walking back to his desk shaking his head. "This is unbelievable," he said to Blaise. "I'm going to get her other home work from the other classes we don't have today. Coming?"

"How about I meet you in the Great Hall or at Care of Magical Creatures? I'll write a quick note to my mum and bring it down to the Owlery,"

"Alright," Draco said, "see you,"

"Bye," Blaise called after him.

Draco shook his head once he was out of the class room. _First the only girl my father wants me to have a future with annoys me to death. Then I save the life of the last girl my father wants me to ever be associated with. Now it's in the paper so my father will definitely find out and want to punish me in some form. And what's just as worse I'm doing favors for her now, voluntarily! I'm beginning to care about her as more than a mudblood; even more then just as a person I could talk to with out insulting. What's happening to me?_


	10. Chapter Ten: AH!

**Chapter 10:** AH!

"Bye," Blaise called after Draco.

Blaise turned his attention to the Professor up front and took a deep breathe. He knew it would take every bit of scheming Slytherin skill he still had left to get Draco an application and an option to write an essay but regardless, he would do it. He had to_. Draco isn't going to make me spend a whole year with Pansy alone, and besides he doesn't deserve what ever fate awaits him with his father_, Blaise thought bravely slinging his bag over his shoulder and walking to the front of the class.

"Professor Gibbs?"

The Professor looked up at him, "ah yes, Mr. Zabini. What can I do for you?"

"Well Professor, it's about the trip,"

"Would you like to go? I warn you, the chances of an applicant getting in this late are-,"

"No, it's for Draco," Blaise said.

"Mr. Malfoy?" The Professor laughed, "I admit he has changed his spots a little bit, but he never puts an effort into this class! I highly doubt he would make it on top of the other applicants. You on the other hand...,"

"Well I'm busy this summer," Blaise lied and the Professor frowned, "Look, Draco really needs this,"

"Needs this? What ever for? His family is so rich he could practically buy his way onto the trip but that's not what we're about. Mr. Malfoy just does not have the literal academic achievement to make it,"

"Like I said Professor, he _needs_ this. He's always liked this class; just never put an effort into it,"

"I'm sorry Zabini, I don't think it's possible," The Professor sighed looking back down at the applicant's essays.

"What if I help him Professor?" Blaise suggested, not giving up, "What if his essay tops at least 5 in your pile and he gets over a 85 average on the exam?"

"If he could top the third best essay in this pile and got higher then a 75 on his final exam, I would drag him to Rome myself for the trip," The Professor explained, " but its just not possible,"

"I think it is, and in fact, if its not I will make it possible. May I just please have an applicant form so he can write an essay?" Blaise asked kindly, forcing a smile.

The Professor looked up at Blaise and shook his head, "Very well," He gave him a long piece of parchment, "These are the requirements that Malfoy will not just have to require, but counter against all of the other students," He pointed to the pile of essays underneath him on the desk, "but I warn you once more, it's impossible. I can only bring 4 kids on this trip, and I have to choose from the top 5 essays already."

_Really? You're the Professor; you're supposed to be saying nothing is impossible._ Blaise sighed at the thought, "Thank you Professor," He said turning out of the class. _At least I got him the application; I knew he wouldn't be up to it. But he must go, he has to go. It's the only way, until he figures things out. _

Blaise read the applicant sheet about what was needed in the essay and shook his head. _Draco, this will take every skill you have. And allowing you to come to my house for a reason I won't be able to explain to my parents for three weeks will take every skill I have._ Blaise considered just telling his parents the trouble Draco was having, but then reconsidered. That would make matters worse.

Blaise went a head to the owlery to write the letter to his mum and began thinking of ideas on how Draco could fill in his essay. Meanwhile Draco was off collecting all of Granger's work. Each teacher was smiling and complementing him. Flitwick even said it was overwhelming to know a Slytherin saved a life, and is now doing the same person a personal favor.

Draco brought the whole days, and most of the rest of the weeks planned out work to Hermione in the Hospital Wing. He set it on her night table and watched her sleep. He turned to leave, but then she stirred in her sleep. He checked his watch and he still had about 45 minutes before Care of Magical Creatures. He looked around and Madam Pomfrey was busying herself with Neville Longbottom across the room so he sat down on the bed across from hers and watched her. He didn't really know why, but he felt like he enjoyed watching her peaceful resting body. Finally a form of her that wasn't sending hate his way.

He noticed one of her arms hanging down on the side of the bed and gently took her hand and laid her arm back out on the side of the bed. Just as he went to take his hand back, he felt a tug on it, making his knees crash to the floor to look up and noticed Hermione had in her sleep yanked Draco by his hand. Draco was taken aback by this and her strength in it, _what's she doing?_

"Granger," He said quietly.

She turned around in the hospital bed to lie on her stomach. She put his hand under her head and held it there. She smiled in her sleep and Draco was confused, yet he did not protest, _it's just because I'm in shock_ he protested to himself because he could never admit that he found her silky caramel hair memorizing and infatuating to touch. _It's just soft…he sighed, trying to convince himself her hair that was once ghastly looking did not felt that great. But he was failing miserably._ She began to squeeze his hand and he noticed her brows furrowed and she looked worried. She was now gripping his hand so hard as if she was holding onto it for dear life. Draco stared at her, _is she having a nightmare?_

"No," she moaned quiet and kept repeating the word, answering his question. She was indeed having a nightmare because not only did she sound frightened with the quiet murmur she was gripping farther up his arm.

"Uh Granger...," Draco got a bit nervous, she was holding on even more harder then she did when he caught her yesterday. Then again she was fainted.

"AH!" She screamed turning around and sitting up in her bed; at the same time throwing her hands in her lap, and in the process flinging Draco to be half on her bed. She looked around confused and then down at Draco, who was still being held onto by herself and she screamed again, "AH!" letting go of his hand, "Malfoy! What do you think you are doing?"

Draco search for an excuse, "I was, I mean YOU were actually dr-,"

"I don't know what you're doing here, I don't even know what I'm doing here Malfoy," her words were getting louder by the syllable, "but the last thing I need, obviously, is you! Trying to feel m-,"

"I wasn't trying to feel you!" He said raising his voice over hers.

"Then why are you in my bed!"

"You pulled me on here!"

"Whatever! Now I'm pushing you off," She said shoving him off the bed, "There, now can you leave Malfoy? I have to figure out what's going on and your skeptical remarks are the last thing I need!"

Draco went to argue back and defend why he was on her bed but looked at his watch and saw it was 5 minutes to Care of Magical Creatures. He pointed to the work he had gotten for her from all her classes for all week, "here's your work," he said simply and quietly then left, leaving Granger in a state of confusion, but his state wasn't far away from it. _I saved her life! I knew she was just an ungrateful mudblood. _ He thought, but defended it with the thought of: she doesn't even know why she's there, let alone why her archenemy was in a bed with her. _Stop defending her ungrateful dealings!_ He argued with himself in his mind till he got to Care of Magical Creatures and forced the whole dilemma out of his thoughts once class started, only for it to pop back in again when Hagrid started talking.


	11. Chapter Eleven: If it weren't for Malfoy

**Chapter Eleven:** If it weren't for Malfoy

"Here's you're work," Malfoy pointed to the large pile of work she had appeared to miss. She looked at him confused, but still angry. His eyes were staring into hers as when he directed her to her home work, _familiar, but why?..._she thought about his eyes as he turned for the door left the room as she had ordered.

Hermione was extremely tired and tried to remember how she came about getting in the Hospital Wing. Last she remembered she was..._walking with Ron and Harry, they were off to Quidditch. _She for once in her life ignored awaiting work and lay back down in the hospital bed. She realized she had no cuts or blood, but extreme pains in her back. They went off to Quidditch..._and I walked down the stairs_...Hermione closed her eyes and tried to remember beyond that but was having no luck. She was feeling sleepy and drifted off into another dream, hope fully not as bad as the one she just had. And hope fully she wouldn't wake up to see that slimy Slytherin in the middle of her bed this time; although she wouldn't mind the eyes again.

Hours later, she heard voices_; familiar voices_. One female, two male and there were only the three most obvious people.She felt a hand holding hers tightly._ It's Harry_, she thought groggily. She listened to what they were saying for a moment, not having the strength to open her eyes.

"Looks like Malfoy has been here," Ron said.

"Why would he come here before the end of the day when he knows we wouldn't be here?" Harry asked, rubbing his thumb tenderly over Hermione's thumb. Hermione tried to hide her smile.

"Well other then the fact its Malfoy...," Ginny said. _Ginny?_ Hermione thought, now recognizing the female voice..._I thought she was mad at me_, "Maybe he had plans after school and just found it in his heart to bring her the work earlier...maybe incase she woke up?"

"Plans for what? Fucking Pansy after classes?" Ron said harshly.

"Ron! That's no way to talk about him," Ginny snapped. _What in bloody hell? _Hermione felt as if she was going crazy when Ginny said those words even though Ron was a bit out of line as always, "Like I said maybe in the good of his heart...,"

"What heart?" Harry asked.

"You both know he has one!" Ginny defended, Hermione didn't know it but she was pointing at her. Ron and Harry both gave their famous sighs, used by them for every Professor when they were turned down an opportunity to further their mischief.

"I'm just saying," Ron said, "How does one good deed revoke a life of horrible actions?"

"Ron, this good deed could make up for over 1000 bad deeds. It's not as if I want to be his friend, but I'm just saying maybe he's not that bad!"

"We already decided last night, we still hate him. He didn't mean to do this," Ron said simply.

_Okay, now I'm confused. I hate being confused. I'm never confused. What good deed could EVER relate to Draco Malfoy? What in Merlin's name are they talking about? I need answers!_ She thought enraged, but opened her eyes slowly.

"So, you know you're thankful for his actions," Ginny defended.

"But Gi-," Ron stopped in mid yell and every one turned their attention to Hermione, "hey," he said in a much quieter tone sitting opposite of Harry on her Hospital bed.

"Hello," She said tiredly. Although her brain was not tired at all, her body was completely weary.

"Hey," Harry said. The grip on her hand became much tighter then she welcomed his smile and returned it.

She turned to Ginny, "Hi," she sounded nervous, "how are you doing?"

"Good question," Hermione answered sitting up in bed.

Ron and Harry jumped pushing her back under the covers, "Just take it easy," Harry said softly.

_What the...,_ "Another good question," Hermione said as she was forced back on her painful back, "is...what am I doing here? What happened to me?"

Their expressions were completely changed with these words. "You don't...You don't remember?" Ron said.

"Um, no," She said confused. They were all exchanging looks. Beginning, and then stopping speeches on how to tell her, "Look, will just one person please explain this to me?"

"Well I didn't witness it," Ginny said appointing the duty to either Ron or Harry.

Ron and Harry both exchanged looks and Harry began to tell the story. He talked fast; got it over quickly, and seemed more bothered by how helpless he was to save her then how helpless she was falling down seven flights. But Hermione took all of it in, not really believing much of it.

"I fell?" Hermione questioned once Harry concluded.

"Yea," Ron said.

"And you guys didn't do any thing?" Hermione asked going wide eyed.

"It's not their fault," Ginny said, "wands aren't allowed at practice or even games, they could be broken or misused,"

Hermione nodded, "Okay then," she said still upset that even Harry or Ron couldn't have come to her rescue,"...so, but, wait- Malfoy...Draco...Malfoy...saved my life?" Hermione looked at them with their serious expressions and began to laugh, "But that's impossible! How would he, how could he possibly-," But Hermione stopped laughing and remembered Draco visiting earlier, with all of her work. _That could have been why he was here...but it just doesn't add up! Malfoy saving a mudblood, it's impossible! Why would he bring my work any way? Although the staircase thing is even less possible to have happened. "_How would I fall off a switching stair case, they don't move when a student is walking on them,"

"Our guess is since you were walking so slowly and were reading it didn't notice," Ron said, although his guess made no sense.

"Our real guess," Harry sighed, "is that there was some thing faulty, this has never happened before,"

Hermione shook her head, this was all so weird. "You're sure Malfoy caught me?"

"Seems that way," Ginny said.

"But I-," Hermione closed her eyes and rubbed her head with the opposite of the one Harry was holding. Now that they had told her the story of her falling she could remember, but only bleakly, parts of what happened. It's possible she fell, _that would account for my back injuries. But Malfoy..._then her brain froze, she remembered grey eyes. _That's why they were familiar when I saw them before he left! The last thing I saw before I passed out was Draco Malfoy's eyes! His beautiful ey- wait! Saving my life doesn't give him a get-on-my-good-side-free card, not after every thing that has happened._

"We were surprised too," Ron explained, "a bit more worried about you though to worry about Malfoy,"

"What did you say?" She demanded.

"Thanks and stuff," Ron said plainly, "I didn't know what else to say,"

"Oh okay, well- oh no...," in her mind she remembered how horrible she had been to Malfoy earlier.

"What's wrong?" Ron and Harry began asking immediate questions "are you cold?", "are you too hot?", "are you hurting?"

"No, it's none of that...it's just...Malfoy, he came here earlier,"

"And?" Harry asked firmly.

"I knew it! What'd he do?" Ron asked jumping to more conclusions.

"Nothing! That's exactly it. I think he was trying to explain why he was here and what happened but I yelled at him," Hermione sighed. "I mean he saved my life, I should be grateful! Even if it is him,"

"Don't feel that bad 'Mione," Ginny comforted, "It's not as if he's never yelled at you for any reason,"

"But...I wouldn't be a live right now if it weren't for him. If it weren't for Malfoy...,"

Ron, Harry and Ginny left soon after that. All Hermione had done was bask in her regret about how she had snapped at Malfoy earlier and soon enough complained about being tired. _He saved my life..._It still wasn't ringing a bell in her head, although his eyes were the proof that it must have been him, they were the only things she could remember from her so called fall. _I still don't see how this all came to happen...how do I not notice a switching stair case, even if I am reading, I'm more alert then that. I've went hunting after death eaters! And how do I forget every thing that happened, and why is it so hard to believe Malfoy saved me? The Slytherin Common room is on the first floor._ The last question had to be the easiest one to answer because well, it was Malfoy. Since her very first night at Hogwarts he had shown to be the cruel, sniveling type she wanted nothing to do with.

And even with avoiding company with him, being in Harry and Ron's company only provoked it more, because some how it was Malfoy's goal in life to bring them down, and her as well once he found out of her up bringing. In third year she had done some thing totally unthinkable, totally unpredictable, took all of her hate out on him with violence. _That was just being as bad as him_...Hermione had told herself when her moments of glory from Harry and Ron had ceased.

But it wasn't till Fourth year he become popular in Slytherin with the ladies, _especially Pansy Parkinson_, at the Yule Ball. _Fifth year he was sucking up to that horrible Umbridge and making our lives horrible_._ And now in Sixth Year he saves my life? After tormenting it and bringing it down as deep as he could as if it were his reason to breathe? It was probably an accident, him being there as I fell...but once he saw who it was...couldn't he have just dropped me? Or in the real Malfoy style, couldn't he have just let me or any person land on the marble floor? It just seems unlike the Malfoy we all know and hate..._

Hermione sighed and laid her head down._ Malfoy has had the upbringing of a Sherman tank. That is if you look at this matter in muggle warfare. Completely controlled by some one else and can only cause terror. That's- was, the description of Malfoy. But has he really changed? Can this really effect what he has been programmed to do and learned how to live for his whole state of being? _Hermione wanted to find comfort in the fact that she may never have to listen to Malfoy call her mudblood again, since saving a life may affect him. But the more she thought about him and his past, the less hope she had as she fell asleep. In her dreams she imagined what Malfoy and she would be like, being civil. Perhaps even being friends. It would never happen, but that's why they call it a dream.


	12. Chapter Twelve: Why Can't I?

**Chapter Twelve:** Why can't I?

"Listen, it's understandable she didn't remember," Blaise said to Draco as they walked back to their Common Room to drop off their bags before dinner the next day. Blaise had been telling Draco this since he met him in class yesterday and Draco had explained what happened in the Hospital wing, "She did fall seven flights,"

"Yeah," Draco sighed giving the password to the portrait of Medusa.

"So since she's awake now do you think Ron and Harry have told her?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know, probably… but since when have we been on a first name basis with them?" Draco asked as they headed to the boys dormitories.

"I've been on a first name basis with them since I've been forced to work with them; since you have to be Hermione's partner. It's rude to use last name terms when your forced to do a project with some one…so I decided to be nice," Draco shook his head, "And also on the subject of yesterday, I forgot to tell you-," Blaise said reaching in his bag, "I picked this up for you at lunch,"

They dropped their bags off in their own rooms. After shutting his door Draco took the paper and read it. He looked at Blaise, "Blaise, I don't think-,"

"Look, I'll help you. What other choice do you have?"

"Facing my father?" Draco said with a loud exhale.

"Exactly," Blaise stated. "So let's get to the library after supper and we'll get this done,"

Draco shook his head two hours later in the library, "I can't do this," he said slamming the book in front of him shut. He crossed his arms and laid his head in them. _It's just not possible, I can't do this. I will never be fit for this trip. _

"It's not difficult Draco, just imagine the consequence of not doing this," Draco rose his head, sighed in realization and opened up the book. As he sifted through interesting facts once again Blaise smiled.

After Draco had written down facts that would support his essay he gave them to Blaise to review, "There are great. Now you just need to fill out your reasons for wanting to go here," He directed on the application, "write what you've just written here," he went further down the page with his index finger, "with some stable sentences to make them go together to show more knowledge, and some goals and average marks you have…that's about it,"

"About it?" Draco said shaking his head and began to write on the application. But once he began writing it wasn't so hard. He put reasons he would actually be going if he wasn't being scared into the trip. He laced them with goals such as enriching his mind and increasing his knowledge in the Ancient Ruins studies. Once he was done he got Blaise to revise it although as he watched Blaise intently read he began to get those unavoidable negative feelings back. _Why do I insist on doing this? Why? It's just a waste of time. I should be preparing for the certain future._

"Draco this is like gold!" Blaise said surprised.

"Blaise," Draco sighed, not ready to put up with false implications that lead to the fact he may return back to Hogwarts in one piece.

Blaise smiled and shook his head, "honestly, I have never read any thing like it." Draco smiled at his friends dramatics and accepted the fact it might just be good, "I don't even think Hermione could top that,"

"_Granger_," Draco corrected sternly, "can top any thing. Even if she is…muggle born,"

"Okay, maybe she can. But I must admit, with this paper you'll be in Rome and studying Ancient Ruins in no time at- did you just say muggle born instead of mudblood?"

Draco dismissed these words with the wave of his hand, "Don't look too much into it. If your insinuation is wrong and I end up going home for the summer it will be back to mudblood in no time,"

"Alright," Blaise laughed, "well I meant to say you'll be in Rome studying Ancient Ruins in no time at all,"

"One can only hope," Draco said packing up his stuff.

"Where are you headed?" Blaise asked packing his things as well, but Draco looked as if he were in a rush.

"I think I'll give this to Professor Gibbs now before I change my mind," Draco said staring at the sheet, "besides, the more I think about it… I'd rather study this summer then experience a painful punishment,"

"Oh good," Blaise smiled, "shall I join you?"

"Actually I think I might pass by the Hospital Wing too," Draco said scratching the back of his neck. _Okay spending a summer away from home is a passable idea but why do I want to do this? It's not her, I mean okay so she's a person and not just a mudblood. Who cares? Because I definitely, absolutely…hope I don't._

"Oh I see," Blaise said in a tone that told Draco his friend thought his intentions were every thing short of some thing innocent.

"Blaise!" Draco gasped, "You know it's not like that. I just want to see her." Draco sighed and Blaise stared at him. "To see if she has any work done, that is!" Draco corrected himself.

"Calm down," Blaise said holding his hands up in a surrender. "I know you want to see her. _You_ just need to accept it,"

"Not even if it meant the defeat of Voldemort," Draco said picking up his books and walking to the Professor's office.

Twenty minutes later Draco was sitting in Professor Gibb's office watching Gibbs read with the same contented look Blaise did. He put down Draco's application took off his spectacles and looked at Draco impressed, "Well Mr. Malfoy this is quite unexpected. Your application might serve a fair chance,"

"Thank you Professor," Draco said. He was used to his father never being happy with any thing he did so to hear a man say he was doing alright in some thing other then Snape, who had obligations to, was different. "Although, I must be on my way; I have to go see if Granger has completed any of her work since she was kept from class and I want to make curfew."

"Oh I see," The Professor said, just as Blaise_. This is really beginning to get annoying. The Professor doesn't even realize I might have less then hateful feelings for her and still he was suggestive. Why is either one of them even considering I am going to see her for other then academic purposes? Why would I want to? I'm Draco Malfoy. Just because I saved her life…it could have been any one, it just had to be her. It had to be the person I hate the most so I could ask myself if the hate was really justified. Which it is! _Draco sighed as he realized the Professor was waiting for some kind of denial and smiling at Draco's lack of it, "Professor, I'm not-,"

"Of course I'm sure your intentions are honorable," The Professor interrupted with a laugh, "You may have saved her life but surely that's not enough redemption to redeem the fact you've always been enemies before now, correct?"

Draco nodded in content, "correct,"

The Professor shook his head with a smile, "Then run a long. I would hate to make you late for curfew, but if she is up tell her the essay she had Miss Weasley bring in today has gotten her a definite spot on the trip. And don't get your hopes up Mr. Malfoy, but I think you do as well. So let's just hope you being enemies with Granger won't affect it,"

"Of course not Professor," Draco said and left for the Hospital Wing. It was a little bit of relief on Draco's part hearing the words he was probably going to Rome but Hermione Granger as well? Draco felt a huge tug on his chest. He was walking to see her now, with some stupid excuse and forget just seeing her face again to see what his feelings meant…he had a whole summer to! _I might as well accept it. I want to see her. I'm more then likely going to see more of her then I can bare or ever accept, but I'm going to have to accept it any way. Maybe I will be able to avoid my father for the whole summer. And she will be there. Studying with her and solving things I never even considered before seemed to be much more useful then what my father had in store but just last week it wasn't even a hard decision, but now there were so many considerations._ Maybe this would help him figure out what was wrong with him, just to see her more. _I know I shouldn't think about her or want to see her at all but whenever I do I get crazy ideas that are dying to be discovered further._

But maybe this summer thing really was a bad idea. What if he actually learned to care about her in the summer…_which wouldn't happen but a summer without her would make me forget about it completely. And then again if I need a summer to forget about her I shouldn't just be glossing over this impossibility…And if I do spend a summer with her I could prove that this is just crazy and there are really things to hate about her. _

Before Draco knew it he was opening up the lofty door to the Hospital Wing and found Hermione studying, reading, and writing…whatever she was doing he guessed it was one of those._ All she has is school. No extra curricular activities, no love life let alone experience, no hobbies yet her interest and unbreakable concentration of it- how she blocks out the obvious things she should be facing at this age or even before with out a care; some how it interreges me. _She noticed him approaching her bed though, "Malfoy," she said closing her book.

"Granger," he said sitting on the bed beside hers, "any work done yet?" he tried his best to make his tone steady and full of unconcern, for now he was succeeding.

She nodded and pointed to the large pile of parchment and books beside her bed, "I only have potions left; apparently it's the final project,"

"Yeah, it is," Draco said.

"For the dreamless sleep potion…do you know who I'm working with?"

"As a matter of fact, me," Draco said being sarcastically delighted.

"Oh… well then we should work on it some time soon," she decided.

"Whenever you feel up to it," he said then immediately changed his mind, "I mean yes, very soon. It's due next Monday,"

"Um Malfoy…" she said changing the subject and her tone, "I want to say sorry for the way I acted the other day…and thanks for saving me,"

_She doesn't waste any time does she? Potter and Weasel probably told her…_ "It's not a big deal," but that was a big lie, "you're welcome I guess. It was just the only option I suppose if I didn't want some unidentified falling object falling on my head or the floor and I felt…yeah," Draco bit his lip with out even realizing it. He didn't know why he had a hard time explaining the whole event. Maybe because it all happened so fact he barely knew what happened himself. _But then again I have never had a civil or decent conversation with her. Other then Blaise it's the first person my age to not hate or fear or want to use me, just talking to me in a normal manner and recalling events. _He knew it was Hermione Granger and they had a bad past but he hoped it was just that and not the fact she was staring at him with those big brown, expectant eyes.

Hermione spoke up, "this is weird," _She had to state the obvious_. "I never would have expected…" Draco looked at her as she trailed off.

"You never should have expected it," Draco said simply.

Hermione looked to the floor, "have I damaged your reputation at all? As much as I would normally enjoy it, it's a horrible way to repay some one for saving their life,"

"I don't know how much of a reputation I have left. The one every body knows and hates is definitely down the drain thanks to this," Draco said taking a copy of the Daily Prophet out of his bag and handing it to her.

She scanned over the article and breathlessly said, "what, who would…"

"Colin Creevy," Draco said coming closer to her to point down on the bottom corner of the page where the annoying kid had the most wide eyed horrifying smile ever, "caught it on camera,"

"I can see that," Hermione said ungratefully looking at all the pictures, "but what is with the headlines, the pictures of Harry and Ron? Did this actually get printed?"

"I'm afraid even _I_ wouldn't joke about some thing like this," Draco sighed.

"But that means the whole Wizarding world knows. That means my parents know…and yours as well," And as she said that her eyes finally fell on the largest picture, it was of him and her.

"I'm aware of that," glancing at the picture of them before he stood up. Her face fell. Okay, he was the enemy but she knew what kind of person his father was. Even Draco didn't deserve what his father probably had intended for him. "Listen," he said before she had a chance to say any thing, although she wasn't even sure what to say. "It's close to curfew but before I leave I was told to tell you that you were accepted onto the Ancient Ruins trip to Rome this summer,"

"Really?" She said, her face lighting up. Draco nodded; did I mention I might be joining that trip? "I can't believe it, thanks for telling me!" Hermione smiled but noticed he was standing there with a blank expression on his face, "but you have to go," she said feeling like a fool.

"Yes well congratulations," Draco said, "I'm sure you deserve to go," Draco picked up her finished pile of work and hurried out of the Hospital Wing.

Hermione sat in the bed for a moment watching the door close. That had to be the nicest thing Malfoy ever said to her. She knew this didn't make them friends or any thing, but were they really still enemies?

With the same thought on his mind Draco was walking down the hall as the tall Hospital Wing door closed. Although he was not peacefully sitting in a bed contemplating it, he was so confused about it that with one sudden action he dropped all of her papers on the floor. "Damn," he said quieter then a whisper. He pushed his back against the wall and pushed himself down to eventually be sitting on the marble floor. "What's the matter with me?" He asked himself as he looked at the scattered pieces of work that covered the better part of the small hallway. Each answer she had written was so neat and at least half a foot long…even when she wasn't in class she was such a perfectionist. Now it was driving Draco mad.

Why can't I think when I look at her? Why can't I talk right when she's looking at me? Draco now felt the situation was much worse then he had thought. Hermione Granger was making Draco Malfoy himself nervous and for no apparent reason. He wanted to tell himself he was just worried about his father finding out about the whole thing to begin with and that he would just get in trouble, but he was smarter then that. He knew deep down his father was the least of his problems.

Hermione was much more fortunate, the questions of Draco were leaving her mind when all she could think about was a summer in Rome. She pulled out the one Ancient Ruins book Draco had left and began to read about some ruins in Rome. At that moment there was a popping noise and another male visitor appeared.

"Miss Granger, you're studying as always I see?"

Hermione smiled at the Head Master of Hogwarts, "of course Head Master,"

"You should be resting up; next week is exam week,"

"I can't help it; I have done nothing but sleep for days."

"You can leave all in good time," Dumbledore said with a promising smile, "now I have just written your parents about this most unfortunate event. I didn't want to write an explanation of the Daily Prophet article until I found all of the reasons for this occurrence,"

"Did you?"

"Not yet," Hermione was confused, "I don't want to make your parents worry any more. SO I just wrote a letter explaining you are okay and that the stair case, along with all switching stair cases in this school are being replaced with ones that do not switch."

"But Professor I don't want to be responsible for the school losing one of its oldest…" Hermione didn't know the right word, "transportation methods?"

"Until we find out exactly what happened we can not risk it. It's not your fault. There could be some black magic at work here. So all the stairs have had spells cast over them to not switch for now. If we can find a culprit or reasonable explanation, then perhaps we can go back to switching stair cases,"

Hermione sighed and smiled. "At least that will make my parents feel a bit better."

"Just one last thing Miss Granger," the Headmaster said lightly, "Get better yourself. If you feel fine enough to study make your way back to your own respective dormitory but just remember you have a summer of studying a head of you, take it easy while you can." Hermione nodded. "Well it is just about curfew so if you wish to return to your dorm and study this is the time to do it…good evening Miss Granger," And with another pop the Head Master was gone.


	13. Chapter Thirteen: The Simple Life

**Chapter Thirteen:** The simple life of a mudblood

That night after Dumbledore had left Hermione, she had tried sleeping. But she was restless. She couldn't sleep. She just laid there in her bed moonlight streaming in from the large windows, shining on her as she thought about the previous visitor. _He's still my enemy._ Hermione had been telling her self that ever since Dumbledore left her to her thoughts. _Why did it have to be him? Why did he have to save me? But the better question is why does a loathed enemy have to have such beautiful mysterious eyes? Eyes I want to stare into, but I know I can't. I shouldn't even want to!_

She kept squeezing her eyes shut trying to sleep and forget Malfoy had ever caught her, but it wasn't easy. It seemed it was her whole life at the moment, she couldn't even be happy about Rome now. _I can't stay in here, not in the Hospital Wing. I'm better. I'm fine. I need to be back in school. Completing my Potions project, that I incidentally have to do with Malfoy_. She sat up in bed and took the covers off, in a way her body was still aching, but she knew her body was just getting over tired because she had not moved it in so long. She stepped her feet onto the cool marble floor and slipped on her shoes with a yawn she picked up her bag and went to Madam Pomfrey's office.

"Madam Pomfrey?" She asked weakly knocking on the door.

"Yes Miss Granger, is every thing okay?" Madam Pomfrey said immediately opening the door.

"I want to go back to my dorms, I feel well now and I wish to return back to my classes before they end for the summer,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm fine,"

"Well then," Madam Pomfrey said, "all of the Professors will be aware tomorrow that if you look drowsy to send you right back here. If you feel any pain at all just tell them and head straight back here immediately, you suffered a near death experience,"

_Oh don't remind me_…"Alright," Hermione said, "Good night,"

"Good night dear, do you need some body to take you back to the Gryffindor Tower?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said and left. She felt her self get unbelievably tired on the way back though. She had to find the proper stair cases to get up to her room, and carry all of her books. When the Port Whole door opened she dropped her bag in and looked into the common room.

Three familiar heads raised and her best friends raced towards her, "what are you doing back so soon?" Ginny asked getting her bag.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Harry asked worried.

"Missed us that much didn't you?" Ron asked smiling.

She smiled and nodded as they guided her over to the comfy crimson couch in the middle of the Common Room. She sank into it and looked at her friends, "It's good to be home. I couldn't stand that hospital wing for another minute,"

"We knew they couldn't keep you in too long," Harry smiled.

"Yea, we knew you couldn't keep out of class for more then," Ron looked at his watch, "about three days,"

"Even if I was dying of a incurable disease they couldn't," Hermione stated proudly, "I'm glad I had the work Malfoy brought for me to keep my sanity for that long,"

"Has he come back?" Ginny asked, "Malfoy,"

"Yea," Hermione said, "he did tonight,"

"What happened?" Ron asked, thinking it highly irregular for Malfoy to just randomly visit. He knew her friends would take back any thing she needed even if he was appointed to the duty.

"I thanked him, and apologized," Hermione said staring at the fire in the fire place, "He told me I made the trip to Rome this summer, we had a small and civil conversation. But I think it got too civil for his comfort so he left. He saved my life, but I think it's wise for all of us to say, it doesn't change a lot. I mean we will possibly not be at each others throats constantly any more. None of us meant for this to happen, it just did, he's still Malfoy, right?"

"Right," said both Harry and Ron.

"Yes," Ginny said, "but you must admit. It will change some things,"

"Like what?" Ron said, "We'll still be low life Gryffindors to him, Hermione will still be muggle born to him. He just saved her life and every body knows it. It's not as if he's superman. He was just there. His father follows Voldemort!"

"Oh Ron," Ginny sighed, "you know you shouldn't-,"

Ron ignored and interrupted her, "we all know his father broke out of Azkaban, all of the still-alive Death Eaters did, Malfoy is going to get the dark mark soon enough. We can't just begin to trust him and be nice to him because he saved Hermione; he is still the old Malfoy!"

Harry looked at Hermione, who seemed to be taking in every thing Ron said with deep consideration, "He's right you know," Harry said.

"For once," Ginny said quietly, Ron glared at her.

"Oh I know," Hermione said, "and I really agree...but it's difficult to completely believe that Malfoy is my only reason for living right now. I've accepted it and all...but it's just difficult to believe after such an experience even if we all know it's true, he's probably just going to go back to being the same terrible Malfoy," Hermione sighed and chuckled, "but what would we do with our lives without our common nemesis?"

"Get through the day happy?" Harry said.

"Breathe easier?" Ron said.

"Then the only problem with school would be learning," Ginny laughed.

"Exactly," Hermione said, "We couldn't have had as much in all of our Hogwarts adventures and near death experiences if it wasn't for Malfoy giving us away and making them more difficult would we?"

"Suppose not," Ron said, "but we could have gotten in trouble other ways! We aren't that intelligent you know Mione…,"

Eventually they had changed the subject of Malfoy. No one really felt there was much more to say except Hermione. But she didn't know what she wanted to say about it so was content with the change of subject. Ron and Harry talked about Quidditch and Ginny talked to Hermione about what she has missed in the basic Hogwarts Gossip. She was confident that senseless, air-headed rumors may put her mind at ease or at least off Malfoy. Although she never did judge from gossip as any one could tell from her negative opinion on it but Hermione knew if she ever needed information, Ginny was a reliable resource. That is when it came to the social life of the school.

The "new stuff" with Hogwarts was: Hannah Abbott is planning to ask Ron out. Pansy Parkinson has been declared the sleaziest witch in Hogwarts by the girls of Ravenclaw house. Draco Malfoy is the new school hero and idol. Hermione has become the luckiest damsel in distress since Rapunzel. Neville Longbottom has gotten his first girlfriend, Luna Lovegood has gotten her first boyfriend (the school is happy for the new couple, except for Slytherins who still laugh at the two of them but claim to have more to laugh at). Luna Lovegood now sits at the Gryffindor table with boyfriend Neville Longbottom, there was a fire in the Herbology class held in the green house caused by Sandy Finnigan (Luna calmed Neville down before he got to Sandy, considering Herbology was one of the only things Neville was good at) and votes and opinions for the Head boy and girl next year would be held next week.

_I thought the Professors chose the most competent. _Hermione thought later that night back in her own bed. _Padma and Hannah are much prettier and popular then me, I hope they don't damage my chances. Pansy wasn't much of a worry and she was the only other female prefect. _But unfortunately the gossip wasn't the only thing on Hermione's mind. The other thing on her mind was how she was going to stop this whole Malfoy ordeal. The gossip had not been ridiculous enough to get her mind off Malfoy. He was still an enemy, he just happened to be there with his beautiful eyes when she was falling. She wouldn't let this get complicated. Her life would stay simple as it always had been. _This couldn't change any thing; it's not that big of a deal._

Her life was about facts, truth, and knowledge. She had always been taught: all work and no play may make Hermione a dull girl but all play and no work makes Hermione a dumb girl. It was some thing her parents said when she received her Hogwarts letter. Other then that they informed her that the academic life is complicated enough and she need not worry about boys or a family until after her education. That's why the long-distance relationship with Viktor ended and the almost relationship with Harry last Christmas never began. Just being friends with Harry and Ron had already broken half of those rules, but Hermione's parents still supported her friendship with the boys. They said Harry and Ron needed a good influence like her as long as they don't make a bad one on her first. Which unbeknown to her parents was a times a close call.

_Letting this whole Malfoy thing get to me farther then it has to would be stupid. I know he isn't good. I'm thankful towards him and if he's in a life/death situation I'll help him out, but I can't let myself think stupid things like being friends with him. I can't let this one moment in time cloud my vision of who Malfoy is. And with all of these thoughts gathering up in my mind of possibilities, knowing it and just letting it go isn't easy. How can he be so bad? When I looked into his eyes I saw some thing there that wasn't there before...NO, nothing was there. Nothing at all; there was nothing! But what if it was some thing? No, it was nothing...nothing at all..._The more Hermione told her self it was nothing, the more she believed there was some thing there that wasn't there before. As she fell asleep she wondered to herself, _why do I feel like this event might change every single thing or nothing at all?_


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Sleeping In

**Chapter Fourteen:** Sleeping in

Draco opened his eyes as saw Blaise's face, "mate, your going to be late! You've slept in,"

"What?" Draco asked rubbing his eyes, "it's only...," he looked at his watch, "damn!" It read 7:20. He got up quickly and went to go in the washroom.

"You won't have time for a shower Draco," Blaise told him as Draco slammed the door.

_Why the hell did I sleep so late?_ Draco wondered changing his boxers. He looked in the mirror at his face and yawned, there were small bags under his eyes, _oh for the sake of Merlins beard_. Draco took his wand and muttered a spell that made him look perfectly awake. _That's better. _While Draco got dressed he tried to remember what happened last night and why he was so tired. Last night he had filled in his application for the trip to Rome, gone to visit Granger, _then..._He walked out of his room to see Blaise waiting expectantly.

"Done yet?"

"Hair," Draco answered obviously grabbing a fresh uniform, pulling it on he went back into the washroom and took out his gel. _Then I dropped her papers...and I had to pick them all up in the right order so I was stuck in the hall until about 12:30 in the morning...why did I have to get so aggravated over this little thing?_ Draco asked him self, because even though he looked awake and fine, he felt tired as hell.

"Mate, no offence but...," Blaise said.

"Yes I know, I need a change, but what?" Draco asked making his hair clean with again with a spell.

"Well in third year you had your hair down," Blaise pointed out, "that wasn't too bad. It looked nice," Blaise said pointing out his hair at that very moment. It was simple, straight, down, and not as long as third year but possibly just as nice.

"Ah yes, and since when have you been gay?" Draco asked simply taking his gel out of the cabinet.

"You know what I mean Draco," Blaise said, "It's not like I'm checking you out," Blaise said turning his back from Draco.

"It reminds me of my father," Draco said simply taking the lid off his gel.

"Your hair gelled back reminds me of your father," Blaise said turning his head to him.

Draco stared at him for a moment then shook his head, "my father would never touch gel,"

"Maybe that's why you do," Draco rolled his eyes slopping gel onto his hands, "well it only reminds me of him because your father pushes his hair back as well,"

"Well then, what do you suggest is to be done with my hair?" Draco said finding no answer himself and holding up his messy-with-gel hands.

"Nothing for now, we're due in Potions!" Blaise said pulling him out of the washroom. Draco managed to grab a towel and wipe his hands clean of the gel.

"Blaise, I can't just save the life of a mudblood _and_ change my hair. People will talk; people will start to find me less than despicable!"

"Perhaps because you are?"

"Blaise!" Draco sighed desperate to just hate and be hated again, "this is no time for insults,"

"Draco!" Blaise mocked, "We are going to be LATE!"

"I hope you know," Draco grunted picking up his books and Granger's work, "I hate it when you're right,"

"Oh I know," Blaise said dragging Draco through the corridor and out of the port whole. Draco laughed and slung his bag over his shoulder and putting Granger's work in it also feeling awkward with his hair as all the Slytherins and some other random students got glimpses of it.

"Drakkie!" Pansy squealed appearing by his side. She linked his arm and tugged on it annoyingly, "have you been avoiding me since your horrible, HORRIBLE happening?"

"What?" Draco asked.

"Horrible?" Blaise inquired annoyed.

"He saved that filthy girls life!" Pansy squeaked, "So yes, HORRIBLE,"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Since when was saving a life horrible, Pansy?" Blaise asked before he realized Pansy was probably too common for common sense.

"Well every thing if its the life of a mudblood, Draco you better be careful. You'll get a bad name if you keep this up, and what in Merlin's name have you done to your hair?" Blaise rolled his eyes as Pansy looked at Draco appalled.

"Nothing actually," Draco said simply. The fact that this easier hair-do repulsed Pansy was a good thing, inside he was thanking Blaise.

"Oh what ever Drakkie, so why have you been avoiding me?" Pansy demanded.

"Maybe because he can," Blaise laughed and Pansy exhaled super loud, perhaps she was trying to pout but neither of the guys cared.

They walked into the dungeon and the first thing Draco saw was Hermione Granger laughing with Potter and Weasley, every voice and noise drained out of his head except her laughter as she chatted with her friends. _She's back..._Her eyes met his and she sent him a small unsure smile until she quickly seemed to notice Pansy's arm dangled in his. He yanked his arm from Pansy's grip. Hermione looked away and laughed with Potter and Weasley again. Draco watched her until he felt a tug on his robes by Blaise. Annoyed he looked over to Blaise.

"Mate, sit down, Snape!" Blaise warned.

Snape was walking to the front of the class; Draco sat down beside Blaise looking to the front of the class. "As you know, today is Thursday, and today you will be beginning to brew your potion. I'd like you to get in your groups in a moment after you are finishing writing down the ingredients on the board. One of your group members will come and get the ingredients while the other begins a fire under your cauldron,"

Draco began to take down the ingredients on the board. He had finished every other part of this project already on the first night, almost forgetting Hermione was a part of it. _She will want to do some thing for it. But at least she can't say I've done nothing. _Once he was done, which was at about the same time as every body else he noticed Granger coming over to his table as Blaise stood up.

"Wish me luck?" Draco asked as Blaise gathered his stuff. Draco all of a sudden desperately wished he had slept in instead, he didn't know if he could work with her.

"Why? She's already coming to sit with you," Blaise smiled and headed towards his partners.

Hermione put her bag down at his table, "Hello," she greeted, he looked up at her speechless, "I'll go get the ingredients then," she decided and hurried up to the front.

"Uh, yeah, okay," Draco said, "_incarta inflamareh_," and a fire began under the cauldron as he took a deep breath and inwardly hoped to prepare himself for working with her.


	15. Chapter Fifteen: Oops

**Chapter Fifteen:** Oops

"Here we go," Hermione said putting the ingredients down carefully on the table_. This is weird._

"Thanks," Draco said. _Correction: this is REALLY weird._

"Oh, no problem," She said smiling. Then her smile faded as silence over came the conversation, _we need to get some thing done...uh, _"would you like to just...divide the ingredients?"

"Yea, that sounds like a good idea,"

Hermione nodded and separated the ingredients the best way she saw fit for them and began to measure, cut and peal her share. She began to swing her feet slowly above the ground as she cut some cherry tree vines and was lost in thought._ I wonder how much of the project he's got done. I wonder if he's done any thing. It's Malfoy, would he? Well he did save my life now I believe any thing is possible. Then again it's not like he did it intentionally. This is probably the first day he's thought about the project with the excuse that he couldn't do any thing without his partner. That's what they all say, and when it comes to being a degenerate why should Malfoy be separated from any one else. _Hermione began to wonder how any one in her classes got work done when she wasn't their partner.

As Hermione almost cut off her finger with the dull blade used to cut the vines, she wondered why she was so lost in thought. She put in the cherry tree vines and began to carefully separate the legs from the newts. She was normally always so concentrated as if nothing else was good enough to be thinking about in class, which nothing was except the class it's self…_but then why am I so side-tracked? This isn't a big deal or any thing. It's just a simple, normal procedure of making a potion that I've been doing every week for 6 years now. I've had to work with horrible people like Malfoy before, this shouldn't matter._ But for some reason it did. Hermione's deep thoughts were interrupted when her foot hit some thing under the table.

She looked up at Malfoy and he was looking under the table, "sorry," she said, shaking her head and stopped swinging her feet. She went to throw Legs of Newt in the cauldron but she felt a hand come upon hers, not letting it open. She looked up at the culprit with the big hands, "what?" she directed to Draco.

"My spiders are supposed to go in before those," Draco said pointing down to the book. The ingredients were listed: 6 cheery tree vines (no blossomed buds), 3 spiders, 10 legs of newt, 2 drops of dragon's blood and it went on but there was a warning between the second and third ingredients. The warning was that if the spiders were not completely stirred in before newt's legs were deposited the sleeping potion would only last an hour then cause insomnia for a week. _How did I miss that?_ Hermione took back her hand cautiously breathing hard as Draco put in 3 live spiders and stirred them in, "Now you can put them in," Hermione put in the Legs of Newt and exhaled slowly.

"Oh my goodness, I'm sorry! I almost ruined the entire project!" Hermione said, this was one of the first times she had ever come close to screwing up a project.

"It's alright, I can understand why you would have trouble concentrating," Draco said, because he was also completely side-tracked. The only thing on his mind was exhibit A: the damsel in distress, sitting right in front of him. But Hermione didn't realize that and almost took as another one of his old insults, saying she couldn't handle class. But Hermione was thankful he didn't go all-the-way Malfoy and tell Snape, so she hastily hurried back to her task and for the rest of class did it above excellence, just to prove she could. Once they were done Draco put the fire out and stirred the Potion, "Now we cover it and leave it over night,"

"Okay," Hermione said covering it as he took out the silver stir stick, "when do you want to finish the projects write-up, seeing as class is almost over,"

Draco thought about this for a moment, "could you meet tomorrow night in the library?"

_Tomorrow Ginny and Harry were hanging out together and Ron and Hannah were hanging out together. Both of her friends were on dates and as always she wouldn't be…_ "Yes," she said simply.

"Hermione, would you hurry up in there!" Ginny complained later that night, "I'll be late for Harry!"

"Harry can wait," Hermione called from inside the bathroom.

"You're only going to study, why are _you_ even 'getting ready'?"

_I don't know..._Hermione was staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, "sorry. I'll be right out," Her hair was loosely curled and down just like normal and she even put some make-up on that she got from her 16th birthday. She still had a towel wrapped around her body; she didn't know what to wear. _Why does it matter what I wear? We're just studying...at night. And it's Malfoy._ Hermione sprayed some Vanilla body spray and exited the bathroom with a sigh, "there you are,"

"Is that a new trend?" Ginny laughed.

"I don't know what to wear," Hermione sighed.

"You're not just going to throw on your uniform?" Ginny asked narrowing her eyes "are you studying with a hot guy?"

"I don't know what you're talking about,"

"Alright," Ginny said, "but if some thing is happening, these ears will hear it soon enough, so save me the trouble of digging for it alright?"

"Whatever," Hermione said not having the slightest idea what she was talking about as she picked up her bag and made sure every thing she needed was in it.

"Oh come on Mione!" Ginny said not giving up so easily, "at least put some thing on before you leave me wondering like this," Hermione glared at her hopelessly as she laughed. "So who are you studying with?" Ginny asked as Hermione began to look through clothes in her closet.

"Malfoy," Hermione said.

Ginny grinned madly and Hermione glared at her. "I see," Ginny said very surprised, but still grinning.

"What are you on about? We're just finishing the project for Potions. It's not like Malfoy is my friend, let a lone what you refer to as a 'hot guy'. I was forced into this and you know I would rather be doing some thing else tonight," _Actually I wouldn't, all I want to do is figure this out and get thinking back to normal._

"Do you always wear those tiny, pink v-necks while you're _just finishing a project_?" Ginny smirked as Hermione pulled the shirt over her head. Hermione shook her head as she found a nice pair of cream colored corduroy's. "And is that the delightful Vanilla body spray Viktor bought you in Belgian I smell?"

"Ginny I have no idea what you're talking about in fact every thing you have been talking about for the past five minutes makes absolutely no sense so in tribute to my project and _nothing _else I will be leaving now," Hermione said finally dressed and ready to go.

"So one of the hottest guys in school that you've always been enemies with is studying with you on Friday night and even though he saved your life, and even though you aren't kicking and screaming not to go...nothing has changed?"

"Right," Hermione said as a matter-of-factly, picking up her bag and exiting the room. At least she hoped nothing had changed. Ginny was right to think some thing was up; Hermione never did dress up like that at all. Hermione had a hunch in the back of her mind: she was wearing muggle clothes and if Draco still hated her he would stop at nothing to point it out and how much it demeans her witch craft. _That's the only reason I'm dressing in these clothes…I hope._

The walk down to the library was incredibly strange. Every body knew about what happened and eager students kept running up to her and asked her if she was okay now. _Colin Creevy in fact wanted to know the details of my recovery and if this has changed the hate-hate relationship I hold with Malfoy._

Hermione thought for a minute as Colin stood with a quill and parchment in hand, awaiting her answer, "Of course not, I'm thankful he was there to save my life, but nothing can change the past," she said this clearly, then walked away. But as the words repeated her mind she thought about being so distracted in class around him and wondered if most of those words lacked all veracity.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: No News is Good News

**Chapter Sixteen: **No News is Good News

Draco went to the library at a quarter to 7. He took out his Potions project and tried to reread it as he waited for her. It was only a rough draft, but all the information Hermione needed was on here. He tried to read it all and take it in at the same time, but it seemed difficult. All he was doing was wondering why she was late. "Draco!" Draco turned his head and saw Blaise running into the library.

"Be quiet!" The librarian snapped quietly.

"Sorry," Blaise whispered to her and ran towards Draco.

"What is it?" Draco asked a very concerned Blaise.

"This," Blaise pulled out a letter from his robes, "A Augurey delivered it to your room. I heard it pecking at your window. It's addressed to you!" _Oh no... An Augurey could only mean one thing..._  
"Malficious?" Draco asked quickly.

"What?"

"Was it black with greenish black with silver feathers and did it have a silver collar with my family crest on it around its neck?" Draco demanded.

"Yes, yes! It had black eyes as well and extremely unlike any Augurey I have ever read about, it was not nervous at all; in fact it was willing and forceful. I think he would have broken your window in to give this to you,"

Draco sighed. "That's Malficious, either my father has learned way to kill me by mail or my mother is using him to send me an urgent letter she couldn't risk my dad finding out about with owls flying about the manor,"

"I'll vote for the second one," Blaise decided, "now open it up!"

Draco nodded, ripped the envelope from his family crest (which was green wax stamped to read: M), unfolded the parchment and read it aloud quietly.

"**_Dearest Draco, _**

**_I fear to tell you your father has seen your recent act of 'glory' in the Daily Prophet, I tried to not show him, but your father was...insistent on it._ **Damn him, if he hurts her...** _He is angered with you Draco. _**"Oh no, really?" Blaise hit him as he spoke aloud for the second time and he continued reading,**_ "He insists to see you the moment you arrive home from Hogwarts, but I fear for when you do. Please, avoid this place as long as you can, he means to punish you or at least teach you a lesson. He also means to have you join Voldemort and the Death Eaters so he will yield at some extent with his unorthodox methods. If he knew I was writing this it would be the end of me, but my darling, the last thing I want is for you to be a Death Eater, please do not be like your father. I love him, but the darkness has long since taken over him, keep away from this place as long as you can. Until I write you after I've found out your fathers plans, I beg of you to do your best to stay away. I will not have you hurt or brainwashed any further with Voldemort's beliefs. Enclosed with Malficious is a package with the gold and silver that is enough to get you out of the area for the summer and as long as you need. I was able to place some extra in your account at Gringotts as well, even stay in the world of Muggles if you must; any where but here till Malficious finds you again. You may write back but hide the letter in Malficious collar. I am pleased to learn you have helped save a life, even if it is a muggle born, but your father is not as pleased as I am. So please abide my demands, I love you Draco._**

**_Love Mum"_**

****Draco looked blankly at Blaise. As the things like 'hurt' and 'brainwashed' ran through his mind he couldn't help but wonder what in bloody hell they meant. But at the moment he decided to figure out some thing he could at the moment, "Blaise, did Malficious have a package?"

"Yes, it's up in your room, it was quite heavy so I thought I'd just bring you the letter, want me to keep it locked up while your down here?"

"Yes, please," Draco said, still not believing his own mother didn't want him to return home for safety reasons. Does she mean I have already been brainwashed? Did my own mother plan for me to be raised differently? With his feelings since the past week and some new facts that came to light he began to see there was nothing wrong at all with being a mudblood and he could see why now this being enemies thing was such a big deal. _I was so horrible…I didn't even know why I was just literally trained horrible…_

"Hey," Hermione said putting her bags down out of no where.

"Hi," Blaise said friendly.

Draco jumped and looked up, "oh hey," _As if all of the things I needed to say weren't going to be difficult enough, nothing is going to come out right. Especially when she looks just as good in a normal outfit then she did at the Yule Ball. _

"Am I interrupting?" She asked plainly taking her books out, she sat down and her eyes traveled to his letter.

"No," Draco said closing his mother's letter and shoving it in his pants pocket.

"Okay, well then I'll leave you two to finish your assignment and I'll get right to that thing that needs doing,"

"Thank you Blaise," Draco said as Blaise left, "Well then," he said jumping right to the point desperate to get the letter and these other crazy things like thinking she looked nice, off his mind, "I was able to snag some of our actual Potion. I told Snape it was for a special matter since you have been absent from class. So," he said taking a vial out of his pants pocket and gathered his work from around the table, "this is our project so far. It's practically finished, except for the final touches and corrections,"

"How did you get this all completely done alone?" Hermione asked astounded.

_Well I can't sleep at night because of you, so work is really the only option and even then I go crazy… because of you and my undefined thoughts_, "I had some extra time on my hands," She still looked expectant. _What do you want!_ "Because of Quidditch being over and it wasn't that hard," Draco lied.

"Well I thought you might have finished it if you thought I wouldn't be recovering soon, but I would like to earn my own mark as well Malfoy,"

"You made the potion,"

"I nearly spoiled it; I would have if it wasn't for you!"

"Look, you've obviously had a hard week, just accept the fact your project is done. It's better then being incredibly behind, besides I'm not as stupid as you think," she looked up at him challengingly, "I'm certain you would have written the exact same thing any ways,"

Hermione wanted to defy that theory so she picked up the parchment and began to read their finished assignment. About 5 minutes later she put it down and sighed, "Be that as it may…I feel useless to the project."

"You aren't useless," Draco said.

"What?" she said, not believing what she heard.

"Oh nothing," Draco said shaking his head nervously and opening a random book that had been lying on the table before he had gotten there._ Romeo and Juliet? Oh for the sake of all that is Slytherin…_ He pretended to flip through the pages but then he felt the book being taken away._ What the? _Hermione had it in her hands and had it shut, "Um Malfoy," _Oh no, what's she going to say...I can't confront this now; I need to think, think I tell you! _As Draco heard this voice in his head he wanted to bang his head on the table, _my mind has become a desperate fortress. _ "I need to talk to you about some thing,"

"What is it?" He asked, his voice hitting a high pitch. _What am I, 13?_

Hermione's eyes drifted down the table where younger students had there eyes frozen on Draco and Hermione. _Have they been watching us this whole time?_ They began to whisper as Draco noticed as well, "Actually, could we go some where else to talk about it?"

"Yeah," Draco nodded, also annoyed with their viewers. The people in this school need to get lives. _Me? Not at all; I go around saving the lives of mudbloods and then end up feeling some thing that is scary! You know you got a life when…_

Hermione lead the way to the very back of the library, and all the way there it kept getting darker, fewer and fewer candles were lit. She walked until she hit the very last wall, just to make sure no one was around. It was a very concealed place back in the old stacks of legendary parchment and super old books written in incomprehensible languages. Not a lot of students knew about the place the students called 'the stacks', given its name because the books weren't used enough to have to keep them filed and organized. Therefore they were left stacked, disorganized and a student like Hermione's, nightmare. And since its lack of use, it was not only used for the stacking of barely used educational material, it was used as a secret place where students went to have… breaks from studying.

"Um Hermione, you know this is where a lot of students-,"

"I know," Hermione broke in. "But I'm one of the few students who actually use the books back here so people can't assume any thing."

"People assume every thing, in case 6 years at Hogwarts and Rita Skeeter didn't teach you that,"

"The point is we can actually find a book back here. If all I wanted to do was talk we wouldn't have had to come this far back,"

"But what kind of book do we need? The potion, the paper…every thing is done!"

"If you haven't been in Snape's class long enough to know it, extra knowledge on any mistake you can make with the potions, their outcomes, any historic discoveries that have changed the potion over the years…is worth extra credit,"

"Is there any thing you don't know?" Draco said shaking his head and without realizing it smiling it a bit.

"What? Help me out here," Hermione said beginning to go threw some dusty stacks but when Draco began to help her she answered his question, "well there's plenty. Why would I still be in school if I knew it all?"

"That's what I'm wondering. You always know what the teacher is going to say, you always know what's going to be taught, you just always know every thing."

Hermione waited a second for him to continue and tell her how horrible that all was but he didn't continue, "That's it?"

"What?" Draco said opening and old Potions book.

"There's no, 'no one likes a know-it-all' or 'you need a life mudblood'?"

Draco frowned, for the past few minutes he hadn't even thought about that or the letter, in fact he was having a great time just stating the obvious he couldn't state before without making it sound horrible. "No," she raised an eye brow and looked at him. "It took me six years to realize it, but there's nothing wrong with being intelligent,"

Hermione stepped away from him and the stacks, shocked at the words. In fact she was so shocked the next thing to happen was some thing that has never happened. She flipped. "But what about the fact I'm a mudblood? What about the fact I'm wearing muggle clothes? What about the 'fact' I must only read so much to keep up because I obviously can't compare to a full-blooded witch or wizard?"

Draco closed the Potions book he couldn't read any way and was confused, "you want to hear those things? Aren't those things mean, untrue and horrible? Aren't you supposed to not want to hear them?"

"Yes but after six years of you saying that stuff any way it's not like I'm going to stop expecting them just because you were some kind of allegorical knight in shining armor! We can't just stop being enemies, look at the past!"

"But what if we were enemies for no reason?" Draco said, "I've been so confused and distracted lately and I think it's because when I saved your life I didn't feel like I was doing some thing wrong, I would have saved you even if I knew it was you falling regardless of what my dad taught me and I started questioning every thing he taught me because I never actually hated you, I was brought up to hate you!"

True, Hermione had come here tonight to figure out what was making her so distracted but that was the exact opposite of the answer she wanted. If he just could have said 'if it was you I wouldn't have saved you and NOTHING else they could have simply went back to hating each other as it should be. But was this why Hermione was distracted too? She was so thankful to Malfoy, and now she knew he would have saved her life regardless of the horrible doubts she had. He was the one to bring her work and assignments. He defied all of the old beliefs she had for him and finished their project. Ever since that one incident he had seemed completely different. But this was so big, not being enemies- it couldn't just be a simple decision. "So you don't hate me and yes I'm thankful that you saved my life but what am I supposed to do say..."oh he finally realized he had no reason to hate me and even though he's made my past 6 years miserable so I'm just going to stop hating him'? I mean other then your name calling and bringing my friends down I have not done much to you."

"I know you can't just stop hating some one. But we had no reason to hate each other. I mean I hated you because I was supposed to, so you hated me. But I never really hated you so really you never hated me,"

"How is that logical?" Hermione demanded. "No, forget that this whole thing has been illogical. So okay, maybe we don't exactly hate each other. But your reputation of being a sex god, bad boy Slytherin has been publicly eviscerated enough by you merely catching me with out having a say in it. Now you're a hero! If you were seen casting the slightest smile at me now, the Slytherins would hate you if they thought less then hate was between us."

"Don't you think I know all of that? Hermione, for some reason ever since I saved your life you have proven to be this amazing person I didn't know existed and I think it was because I was so blinded by what every one thought and it was the only reason I 'hated' you to begin with. I don't care about that any more and I just need to know if there's a way to end this enemy thing that never had a reason to begin with, I mean other then an apology," And there it was. Draco had told the true, the whole truth and literally nothing but the truth. He didn't even realize he meant those words till he said them.

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She almost thought this was a joke from the old Malfoy but she wouldn't let herself believe it. This enemy thing, all this tormenting could be over. But how could she let go of the past? She knew Harry and Ron would never be okay with that or want to be friends with him as well. "I just don't know. I mean if we were to sort things out…wouldn't that just makes things worse in class with all of our friends. I've been so distracted already in class… I almost screwed up a Potion the other day and you're the only reason why this project is going good, that's usually my job in a foolish situation!"

"It could have happened to any one,"

"It never happens to me,"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well maybe it's about time it did," she glared at him, "Every one here is supposed to concentrate on school, we happen to live in our school but you take it so far. The only reason why you're sitting here with some body you think you should still hate right now is because it's interfering with your only way of life, also known as school. Like people have been telling you since you arrived here, you know every thing! I think the only reason why you almost accidentally screwed up yesterday is because you're head is sending you these signals screaming: its time to relax!"

"How can I relax when every thing is changing?"

"If you realize this change could be good."

"It would be our friends hating us because we decided we don't hate each other any more, how is that good?"

"I don't know yet because there are so many bad news flashes but I do know that feelings and emotions have inexplicable ways of manifesting themselves… in a not always self-aware intention! But you can't always plan or stop them," Draco said, "at least I just figured that out now,"

Hermione looked away. This was crazy. He had crawled into her mind! He made her distracted in class, want to dress up to study…Draco Malfoy didn't want to be enemies any more, but Hermione was sure that in her mind some thing even crazier then just not being enemies was brewing. But that was the last thing she would admit. She tried to laugh. "Look Draco, you're verbal deconstruction of this situation is pretty out-dated."

"This may be out-dated but it's the best explanation I have! Right now my feelings are done manifesting, they have manifested beyond belief. I think you're amazing and for the sake of me I've tried to fight it but I just can't! You overwhelm me," Hermione turned around and looked at him; he was a few steps closer to her. She didn't move as he walked even closer to her. She did not want to believe this was him, how could she?

She looked up at him and spoke softly, "you know you are…" then she smirked, "the most arrogant flirt I have ever met,"

"Arrogance," Draco said surprised, "what part of this is arrogance?"

"Oh I've changed," she mocked, "I don't hate you, you're amazing," she mocked again; "well I don't think I believe you! It's just too ridiculous!"

"So are you! I tell you how I feel, I foolishly sell my soul to a girl who is too book-smart to realize a person who might have actually changed and still, STILL I persist to want nothing more then to-," If she really didn't believe him, he wasn't going to say this too. He was going to show her and prove it to her.

"Then to?" She said breathlessly from this arguing.

He gently put his hands around her waist. She looked at him cautiously. Without any signal or sign lowered his head and with no idea of what he was doing kissed her. He may have walked closer and put his hands on her waist but Hermione was still caught very off guard. Draco Malfoy kissed her and the most surprising thing about it is she didn't want him to stop. She exhaled as Draco pulled away only seconds later.

"Draco…you just…" Hermione couldn't even say it, she couldn't believe it.

"I know," He didn't know what he was doing when he did it but now that a speechless Hermione stared up at him with a smile of disbelief forming he didn't regret it. He smiled down at her and gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His complete perspective of Hermione Granger was completely different. She was, felt, looked, smelt and acted in a way that he could not help but like. _I **like** Hermione Granger?_ "I'm surprised you haven't slapped me and stormed out of here by now," Draco laughed.

"So am I," Hermione laughed. "It was so hard to believe but now how can I not believe it?"

_Hermione POV_

_I can't believe it. I never thought I'd be standing here like this, in the arms of Draco Malfoy, y'know, willingly. _

"It's so crazy, I know. Although it was harder to convince you then it was I. Are you convinced yet?"

"I think I was convinced since I walked back here…but the fear of the fact I might actually feel the same way forced me to not let you see I believed you. But it would appear as if this really is you," she smiled, "and me,"

Draco shook his head, "no one is going to believe this,"

"Do you think we could keep this, whatever it is, low key, I mean that's the thing…I think people will believe it, just not accept it…yet any ways,"

"Yes, that's true. I still need to make up 6 years of bullying to you. I don't even know where to start,"

"Think you're up to the challenge of figuring it out?"

"Oh please, I'm a Malfoy. No challenge is too great when such a prize lay at the end,"

"Oh so I'm just a prize?"

"More like a dream,"

Hermione shook her head with a grin forming on her lips. She quoted him, "you're amazing and I really did try to fight it…but you overwhelm me Draco Malfoy. Don't stop," Draco smiled and pulled her closer, and for the first time in over a year Hermione found herself falling head over heals again. She bit her lip as Draco put his hand on the back of her head and kissed her lightly. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. She let her arms travel around his neck as the kiss deepened. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but she didn't want to know. She just wanted to be here, like this, and never happier in a realization.

Draco's other hand was leading up her shirt and even though she wasn't protesting in any form, he knew this wasn't the time or place, if ever. He let his hand comfortably rest on the middle of her soft back, half way up her shirt. Draco decided at that moment he wouldn't screw this one up, he would never take advantage of her and right now it was too soon to make that kind of move. It had never been too soon for Draco, but now it was. _I'm not even going to ask my self why _Draco decided.

"Hermione, there you a-," Draco and Hermione pulled away slowly at this intrusion. Hermione gasped when she realized who it was. Ginny looked over at Draco, then back to Hermione, then to where their hands were and then their situation. Then, finally, her eyes widened in realization.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Amazement

**Chapter Seventeen:** Amazement

Hermione lead the way to the very back of the library, and all the way there it kept getting darker, fewer and fewer candles were lit. She walked until she hit the very last wall, just to make sure no one was around. It was a very concealed place back in the old stacks of legendary parchment and super old books written in incomprehensible languages. Not a lot of students knew about the place the students called 'the stacks', given its name because the books weren't used enough to have to keep them filed and organized. Therefore they were left stacked, disorganized and a student like Hermione's, nightmare. And since its lack of use, it was not only used for the stacking of barely used educational material, it was used as a secret place where students went to have… breaks from studying.

"Um Hermione, you know this is where a lot of students-,"

"I know," Hermione broke in. "But I'm one of the few students who actually use the books back here so people can't assume any thing."

"People assume every thing, in case 6 years at Hogwarts and Rita Skeeter didn't teach you that,"

"The point is we can actually find a book back here. If all I wanted to do was talk we wouldn't have had to come this far back,"

"But what kind of book do we need? The potion, the paper…every thing is done!"

"If you haven't been in Snape's class long enough to know it, extra knowledge on any mistake you can make with the potions, their outcomes, any historic discoveries that have changed the potion over the years…is worth extra credit,"

"Is there any thing you don't know?" Draco said shaking his head and without realizing it smiling it a bit.

"What? Help me out here," Hermione said beginning to go threw some dusty stacks but when Draco began to help her she answered his question, "well there's plenty. Why would I still be in school if I knew it all?"

"That's what I'm wondering. You always know what the teacher is going to say, you always know what's going to be taught, you just always know every thing."

Hermione waited a second for him to continue and tell her how horrible that all was but he didn't continue, "That's it?"

"What?" Draco said opening and old Potions book.

"There's no, 'no one likes a know-it-all' or 'you need a life mudblood'?"

Draco frowned, for the past few minutes he hadn't even thought about that or the letter, in fact he was having a great time just stating the obvious he couldn't state before without making it sound horrible. "No," she raised an eye brow and looked at him. "It took me six years to realize it, but there's nothing wrong with being intelligent,"

Hermione stepped away from him and the stacks, shocked at the words. In fact she was so shocked the next thing to happen was some thing that has never happened. She flipped. "But what about the fact I'm a mudblood? What about the fact I'm wearing muggle clothes? What about the 'fact' I must only read so much to keep up because I obviously can't compare to a full-blooded witch or wizard?"

Draco closed the Potions book he couldn't read any way and was confused, "you want to hear those things? Aren't those things mean, untrue and horrible? Aren't you supposed to not want to hear them?"

"Yes but after six years of you saying that stuff any way it's not like I'm going to stop expecting them just because you were some kind of allegorical knight in shining armor! We can't just stop being enemies, look at the past!"

"But what if we were enemies for no reason?" Draco said, "I've been so confused and distracted lately and I think it's because when I saved your life I didn't feel like I was doing some thing wrong, I would have saved you even if I knew it was you falling regardless of what my dad taught me and I started questioning every thing he taught me because I never actually hated you, I was brought up to hate you!"

True, Hermione had come here tonight to figure out what was making her so distracted but that was the exact opposite of the answer she wanted. If he just could have said 'if it was you I wouldn't have saved you and NOTHING else they could have simply went back to hating each other as it should be. But was this why Hermione was distracted too? She was so thankful to Malfoy, and now she knew he would have saved her life regardless of the horrible doubts she had. He was the one to bring her work and assignments. He defied all of the old beliefs she had for him and finished their project. Ever since that one incident he had seemed completely different. But this was so big, not being enemies- it couldn't just be a simple decision. "So you don't hate me and yes I'm thankful that you saved my life but what am I supposed to do say..."oh he finally realized he had no reason to hate me and even though he's made my past 6 years miserable so I'm just going to stop hating him'? I mean other then your name calling and bringing my friends down I have not done much to you."

"I know you can't just stop hating some one. But we had no reason to hate each other. I mean I hated you because I was supposed to, so you hated me. But I never really hated you so really you never hated me,"

"How is that logical?" Hermione demanded. "No, forget that this whole thing has been illogical. So okay, maybe we don't exactly hate each other. But your reputation of being a sex god, bad boy Slytherin has been publicly eviscerated enough by you merely catching me with out having a say in it. Now you're a hero! If you were seen casting the slightest smile at me now, the Slytherins would hate you if they thought less then hate was between us."

"Don't you think I know all of that? Hermione, for some reason ever since I saved your life you have proven to be this amazing person I didn't know existed and I think it was because I was so blinded by what every one thought and it was the only reason I 'hated' you to begin with. I don't care about that any more and I just need to know if there's a way to end this enemy thing that never had a reason to begin with, I mean other then an apology," And there it was. Draco had told the true, the whole truth and literally nothing but the truth. He didn't even realize he meant those words till he said them.

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She almost thought this was a joke from the old Malfoy but she wouldn't let herself believe it. This enemy thing, all this tormenting could be over. But how could she let go of the past? She really couldn't. "I just don't know. I mean if we were to sort things out…wouldn't that just makes things worse in class with all of our friends. I've been so distracted already in class… I almost screwed up a Potion the other day and you're the only reason why this project is going good, that's usually my job in a foolish situation!"

"It could have happened to any one,"

"It never happens to me,"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well maybe it's about time it did," she glared at him, "Every one here is supposed to concentrate on school, we happen to live in our school but you take it so far. The only reason why you're sitting here with some body you think you should still hate right now is because it's interfering with your only way of life, also known as school. Like people have been telling you since you arrived here, you know every thing! I think the only reason why you almost accidentally screwed up yesterday is because you're head is sending you these signals screaming: its time to relax!"

"How can I relax when every thing is changing?"

"If you realize this change could be good."

"It would be our friends hating us because we decided we don't hate each other any more, how is that good?"

"I don't know yet because there are so many bad news flashes but I do know that feelings and emotions have inexplicable ways of manifesting themselves… in a not always self-aware intention! But you can't always plan or stop them," Draco said, "at least I just figured that out now,"

Hermione looked away. This was crazy. He had crawled into her mind! He made her distracted in class, want to dress up to study…Draco Malfoy didn't want to be enemies any more, but Hermione was sure that in her mind some thing even crazier then just not being enemies was brewing. But that was the last thing she would admit. She tried to laugh. "Look Draco, you're verbal deconstruction of this situation is pretty out-dated."

"This may be out-dated but it's the best explanation I have! Right now my feelings are done manifesting, they have manifested beyond belief. I think you're amazing and for the sake of me I've tried to fight it but I just can't! You overwhelm me," Hermione turned around and looked at him; he was a few steps closer to her. She didn't move as he walked even closer to her. She did not want to believe this was him, how could she?

She looked up at him and spoke softly, "you know you are…" then she smirked, "the most arrogant flirt I have ever met,"

"Arrogance," Draco said surprised, "what part of this is arrogance?"

"Oh I've changed," she mocked, "I don't hate you, you're amazing," she mocked again; "well I don't think I believe you! It's just too ridiculous!"

"So are you! I tell you how I feel, I foolishly sell my soul to a girl who is too book-smart to realize a person who might have actually changed and still, STILL I persist to want nothing more then to-," If she really didn't believe him, he wasn't going to say this too. He was going to show her and prove it to her.

"Then to?" She said breathlessly from this arguing.

He gently put his hands around her waist. She looked at him cautiously. Without any signal or sign lowered his head and with no idea of what he was doing kissed her. He may have walked closer and put his hands on her waist but Hermione was still caught very off guard. Draco Malfoy kissed her and the most surprising thing about it is she didn't want him to stop. She exhaled as Draco pulled away only seconds later.

"Draco…you just…" Hermione couldn't even say it, she couldn't believe it.

"I know," He didn't know what he was doing when he did it but now that a speechless Hermione stared up at him with a smile of disbelief forming he didn't regret it. He smiled down at her and gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His complete perspective of Hermione Granger was completely different. She was, felt, looked, smelt and acted in a way that he could not help but like. _I **like** Hermione Granger?_ "I'm surprised you haven't slapped me and stormed out of here by now," Draco laughed.

"So am I," Hermione laughed. "It was so hard to believe but now how can I not believe it?"

_Hermione POV_

_I can't believe it. I never thought I'd be standing here like this, in the arms of Draco Malfoy, y'know, willingly. _

"It's so crazy, I know. Although it was harder to convince you then it was I. Are you convinced yet?"

"I think I was convinced since I walked back here…but the fear of the fact I might actually feel the same way forced me to not let you see I believed you. But it would appear as if this really is you," she smiled, "and me,"

Draco shook his head, "no one is going to believe this,"

"Do you think we could keep this, whatever it is, low key, I mean that's the thing…I think people will believe it, just not accept it…yet any ways,"

"Yes, that's true. I still need to make up 6 years of bullying to you. I don't even know where to start,"

"Think you're up to the challenge of figuring it out?"

"Oh please, I'm a Malfoy. No challenge is too great when such a prize lay at the end,"

"Oh so I'm just a prize?"

"More like a dream,"

Hermione shook her head with a grin forming on her lips. She quoted him, "you're amazing and I really did try to fight it…but you overwhelm me Draco Malfoy. Don't stop," Draco smiled and pulled her closer, and for the first time in over a year Hermione found herself falling head over heals again. She bit her lip as Draco put his hand on the back of her head and kissed her lightly. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. She let her arms travel around his neck as the kiss deepened. She didn't know what was going to happen next, but she didn't want to know. She just wanted to be here, like this, and never happier in a realization.

Draco's other hand was leading up her shirt and even though she wasn't protesting in any form, he knew this wasn't the time or place, if ever. He let his hand comfortably rest on the middle of her soft back, half way up her shirt. Draco decided at that moment he wouldn't screw this one up, he would never take advantage of her and right now it was too soon to make that kind of move. It had never been too soon for Draco, but now it was. _I'm not even going to ask my self why _Draco decided.

"Hermione, there you a-," Draco and Hermione pulled away slowly at this intrusion. Hermione gasped when she realized who it was. Ginny looked over at Draco, then back to Hermione, then to where their hands were and then their situation. Then, finally, her eyes widened in realization.


	18. Chapter Eighteen: What the

**Chapter Eighteen:** What the-

"Are you nervous for the game tomorrow?" Harry asked casually. Ginny and Harry were sitting cross-legged on each end on the couch on the large, over-stuffed, black leather couch centered in the middle of the Common Room. Ron and Hannah were giggling and snuggling on the love seat beside the couch. This truly was not Ginny's idea of a date, watching her brother snuggling while she sat about a mile away from her own date discussing Quidditch. She loved Quidditch, but she liked Harry just as much and wished she could be closer to him.

"Oh, not really. I have a good feeling about it...what about you?"

"I think I get nervous before every game," Harry admitted.

Ron groaned loudly and pulled away from Hannah and through a pillow at Harry's stomach, "just kiss already!" Hannah laughed and pulled Ron back into a kiss. _That's it! How is this a date? Ron is encouraging kissing! _

Harry sighed nervously and continued, "But once I get on my broom I think I gain confidence again."

"I thought Harry Potter was always confident," Ginny said crawling closer to him on the couch.

"Not always," Harry smiled.

"Are you confident right now?"

"What is there to be confident about?"

"Well how about this...," Ginny's face moved closer to his, he uncrossed his legs so Ginny could get closer and naturally she crawled up between them. He put his hand on her back and led her closer and closer until finally they kissed.

"Finally," Ron sighed rolling his eyes. He went back to kiss Hannah but he noticed Harry's hands leading towards Ginny's butt, "hey mate that's great, that's just fine," Ron called, but Harry didn't seem to hear him, "I said kiss, not... _that_!"

"Ron," Hannah ordered, "Leave them alone!"

Ginny laughed and pulled away from Harry smiling, this was more like her idea of a date; close to Harry and her brother scolding their actions. The only thing missing was Hermione, Neville and Seamus reading by the fireplace laughing at all of them. Seamus was playing Wizard's Chess with his sister Sandy, Neville was on a date with Luna some where on the school grounds and Hermione was in the library, alone with Draco Malfoy.

"Poor Hermione," Ginny sighed.

"What?" Harry asked worried, "what's wrong with Hermione?"

"Nothing," Ginny laughed, "but she's studying in the library on a Friday night,"

"So? She studies every night,"

"But on Friday's she at least hangs out with us…usually, even if you and Ron have your own company she talks to Seamus, Dean, Neville, any one! Tonight she's finishing a project with Malfoy, what if he's giving her a hard time?"

Meanwhile...

Hermione ran her hands through Draco's soft blonde hair as they kissed passionately in the back of the library.

"Yea, she's probably going through pure hell right now,"

"Exactly. I think we should go make sure he's not, or if he is make him stop,"

Harry was about to protest, he wanted to stay here with Ginny; but she looked sincere and seemed worried about Hermione, "ok," he said, "let's go to the library," Besides, the night was still young right? This date wouldn't be over for hours yet, not if Harry had any thing to say about it. Ginny smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the Common room and down to the library.

They arrived at the library about twenty minutes later (they took their time). They walked around the library until they came to Hermione and Malfoy's books. Harry looked around the rest of the library, turning in a complete circle, "where do you think they went off to?"

"A better question is where _would_ they go off to? Draco Malfoy isn't exactly the type of person I imagine Hermione dropping studying for,"

"Perhaps she's teaching him a lesson. Literally," Harry laughed, "it wouldn't hurt,"

"Oh stop joking, this could be serious,"

"Okay, okay," Harry said, silencing him self and sneaking a kiss on her cheek, "now where would they go?"

"Why don't we split up?" Ginny said prying his hands off her waist. She wanted to kiss him in the Common Room, but through the hallways and now in the library was becoming too public.

"Why can't we look together?"

"Because if we split up we're bound to find her quicker which means we can get back to our date quicker,"

Harry didn't even consider it for a moment, "I'll take the left,"

Ginny smiled and headed in the opposite direction. Looking down each isle, she never realized just how big the library was. As she got further and further down passing subjects like Ancient Ruins, Alchemy, Astronomy, the very anciently studied: Belmagophysics(the physics of spells and charms that originated in Belgium), and Biomagistics. _Hermione will love studying these next year_, Ginny thought while examining all of the large and old text books. She was coming to the end of the isles of books, to a dark, dingy area that is noted for being secluded. It was also known as the stacks, where the librarian never ventured because books never needed to be return there meaning kids would come here when they were tired of studying and 'carry on'. Ginny laughed to herself, _Hermione back in the stacks...that's a good one_, as if she would ever stop studying to do that, or ever stop studying at all for any matter.

Ginny was about to turn around, she only came this far to humor herself but then she heard laughing and whispering. It sounded oddly familiar so Ginny kept walking forwards and turned the last corner of the stacks, "Hermione, there you a-," Draco and Hermione pulled away slowly at this intrusion. Hermione gasped when she saw Ginny. Ginny looked over at Draco, then back to Hermione, then to where their arms were, then Ginny's eyes widened in realization. _What the-..._ Ginny stood there literally speechless.


	19. Chapter Nineteen: Explanation Please

**Chapter Nineteen:** Explanation Please

"Ginny," Hermione said pulling herself out of Draco's arms.

Ginny laughed, "Harry really was off,"

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked.

"The reason why I'm here and Harry's on the other side of the library is because we considered the possibility that you were giving Hermione a hard time, 'pure hell' as he put it but as it appears, Hermione was finally experiencing 'pure heaven'," Ginny grinned.

"You're not mad?" Hermione asked, "Surprised? Any thing?"

"Surprised? Yes! Who would have thought it? But mad? No. Considering the fact I trust you not to go just make out with a total enemy for kicks, I bet there's a reason and also considering the fact you will give me a complete and total explanation once you get back to the Gryffindor Tower,"

Hermione sighed and looked at Draco, who had a panicked look, "what if I can't give you a complete and total explanation?"

"Then I guess I'll have to jump to conclusions and...is that Harry calling?" Ginny said putting her hand cupped against her ear to hear better and laughed, "you're going to tell somebody about this anyways, why not somebody you can trust rather then Harry or Ron who will just flip, hate you for a week and probably kill him?"

"As if they could," Draco said offended.

Ginny sighed, "regardless if they can or not…are you going to tell me or not?" Ginny asked Hermione.

"You're kinda gonna tell her aren't you?" Draco whispered.

"I'm kinda gonna have to," She whispered back and Draco nodded.

"Hey, I don't mean to make you panic but Harry's heading this way," Ginny said.

Hermione gasped again. "This just keeps getting better and better," Draco smirked.

"Harry can't know yet!" Hermione panicked. Hermione ran the short distance to Ginny, "please Ginny, I promise I'll explain, just PLEASE stall Harry,"

Ginny sighed, "The things I do for you...,"

"Thanks Ginny," Hermione smiled.

_Ginny POV_

Ginny turned around and started to walk towards Harry._ What did I just see? This is so strange, perhaps it's a dream. I mean I found Hermione kissing Draco Malfoy. Now she's asked me to stall Harry as he heads this way. I can't believe I'm actually going to stall for some thing like this, with out an explanation. This night will be so nerve racking until Hermione gets back to her room and decides to give me a good clarification. Right now, I don't know why I'm doing this but..._

"Hey Ginny, I couldn't find her. Is she back there?"

"Oh you couldn't find her? That makes sense, because I found her,"

"Why is she back here?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I heard you coming and I didn't get a chance to ask her that,"

"Is Malfoy with her?"

"Yes, where else would Malfoy be?"

"Oh. Well, I wonder why they're back there. You and I both know why people go back into the stacks," Harry grinned.

"Come on Harry…it's Malfoy she's with! Even if she did ever consider that kind of stuff would it be with Malfoy?" Ginny laughed the loudest laugh she could manage in a library, "They're probably just up to some heavy-duty studying, you know Hermione! Wanna go back to the Gryffindor Common room now?"

"In a second, I just wanna see Hermione and make sure he's not doing any thing,"

"Really, Harry! What else would they be doing other then studying? Like I said, this is Hermione and Malfoy we're talking about,"

"Still, why would they study back there? There aren't many text books on recent spells, even I know that. Some thing doesn't sound right. I want to go check it out," With that, Harry walked past Ginny.

Ginny raised her voice, "Oh? You're going to check out what they're doing? Okay Harry! I'll come with you!"

Harry shook his head, this girl he was interested in was proving to be even odder then he had imagined. Harry turned the corner to find Hermione digging through piles of old parchment and Draco holding some for her, "No, I don't think this is the ri-," Draco rolled his eyes when he noticed Harry, "Honestly Hermione, could you tell your friends to let us work for 5 minutes?"

"What?" Hermione asked pulling out a big purple book covered in dust and cobwebs. She turned around to see Harry looking expectant and Ginny smiling, "oh hello Harry, aren't you two supposed to be on a date?"

"Yea, but what are you two doing?"

"Trying to find any old information on the Dreamless sleep potion, like when it was created, why it was created. Things that could go wrong…you might not know it but it's quite an ancient potion, any old information we could find could be valuable. It might fetch some extra marks, that's all,"

"I see," Harry said still looking at Malfoy suspiciously.

"Do you mind Potter? We don't get to have a fun Friday night, we have a lot of work to do," Draco said annoyed, flipping through pages of parchment.

"Yea, Harry, I'll have to talk to you both later, there's tons of things to go through,"

Harry stood there, with a dumbfounded look on his face. Ginny sighed, "Come on Harry, they want to get some work done," And she took his hand.

"Alright then, bye Mione," Harry said following Ginny.

"Bye you guys," Hermione said.

"See Harry, they're just doing work, trying to get extra credit," Ginny said once they were out of the library.

"Doesn't that seem a bit odd, Hermione and Draco Malfoy just doing work? They've been enemies since she became my friend. And what's with him calling her Hermione?"

"It's her name,"

"Since when did he use it?"

"True, but he had to mature some time," Ginny said, trying desperately to get off the subject.

"Not Malfoy," Harry said, still determined at the fact some thing was up. And although some thing was up, it was the last thing that would ever occur in Harry's mind.

_Draco POV_

"They're gone," Draco said peering around the book case.

Hermione sighed in relief dropping the big pile of parchment which caused a lot of dust to rise, "do you think Harry was convinced?"

"He doesn't suspect a thing,"

"You did play it pretty close by calling me Hermione."

"Oh well, he did leave,"

"I think the fact they caught us was a news flash," Hermione laughed.

"I'd rather stay here then go back to school-work; lets just fail the class,"

Hermione laughed, "I think I could be persuaded to take study breaks."

In a shot Draco moved aside and pointed to the direction of the table, "After you,"

Hermione walked out to the table and saw that all of the students were gone, probably off to start their Friday nights. A few minutes later after Hermione had sat down Draco emerged from the isles of books with a small grin on his face. He sat beside her, "looks like we have the whole place to ourselves,"

Hermione smiled nervously and looked at him; he was looking right at her, "Hermione, I-," he was about to say some thing until the librarian coughed as she slowly walked by them.

Hermione laughed and looked away, "I told you, there are too many news flashes, we need to get some work done!"

He was about to say some thing but decided to say it for later, there obviously were many new flashes. "Okay okay, what do you need me to do?"

"It would appear as if you've already done every thing…I just need to get the final copy done,"

"Alright," Draco said determined not to leave just yet, "then I shall narrate to you,"

Hermione laughed and got out her quill and parchment. She wrote down the title, the class, the professor and signed her own name. She gave the quill to Draco who signed his name and then she took the quill back, "alright, read to me,"

Draco cleared his throat and read, "A dreamless sleep potion is a potion which is taken to relieve dreams in sleep. If brewed incorrectly…" He continued reading; for most students this would have been boring. But most students didn't have this over powering urge to finish saying what they had to say just to say what they wanted to say. And so he read the whole paper through, the whole time trying to make her laugh, "weconclude this paper and submit it with our perfected potion which has become the exact color and density it should be."

Hermione copied down the last words and put the quill down, "I truly am impressed,"

"I aim to please," Draco said yawning, putting the parchment on the table.

Hermione yawned as well then looked at a clock on the wall, "wow I can't believe its 10 already."

"I didn't know you of all people put a curfew on studying," Draco said as he gathered all of the parchment they didn't need and disposed of it.

"Oh I don't." Hermione laughed, "Just on the amount of time I spend with men who…," She trailed off, trying to hide her smile as she gathered the final copy together and put it safely in her bag.

Draco grinned, "Who what?"

"Who can actually…" Hermione bit her lip, she couldn't believe who she was saying this to, "impress me,"

His grin settled to a smile of affection, satisfaction and even completion._ I… impressed… her!_ Before the librarian interrupted them, Draco was about to tell her some thing. He was about to tell her how he felt about her and how he liked her so much it almost defied any explanation. When he came here tonight, he didn't expect to kiss her but he felt like it was probably one of the best decisions he'd made in a long time. He didn't know how any thing was supposed to happen between them, he just knew whatever this new feeling was it just couldn't be exposed to the school yet. "Hermione Granger, could I walk you to your dormitory?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, "I'd like that,"

"I like that you like that," Draco said almost shyly, flinging his bag over his shoulder, "Shall we?"

He walked with her down the corridor on the way to the Gryffindor Common room. Within those few magical minutes Draco found she knew a lot more then books, "but I thought Ginny and Neville was an item? So since when was this Luna character in the picture?"

Hermione laughed almost too loudly, "He may have taken her to the Yule Ball, but Ginny has always had a crush on Harry. Luna just happened to step in with a bad mark in Herbology while Neville was wallowing in self pity,"

Draco laughed, "I have to admit, that version makes a lot more sense then the one told in the Slytherin common room…some thing about sex for tutoring,"

Hermione shook her head and laughed, "Slytherins are all about sex," then she covered her mouth when she realized what she said, "I mean-,"

Draco laughed, "no it's ok, it's true-, but for me its not…any more,"

"Why do I doubt that?" Hermione laughed coming to a stop as they reached a few steps before the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"I don't know, but you shouldn't. Usually after I kiss a girl I walk them to my room, then they walk them selves back to where they go. Wow…I really was horrible,"

"Yeah I really did loathe you,"

"Well I really loathed you,"

"I loathed you first,"

Draco smirked and brought his head down as if he was going to kiss her again but brought his lips past hers to her ears and whispered, "I don't loathe you any more,"

"Me neither," she whispered.

He pulled away from her a bit and gave her a small kiss on the lips, "Good night, Hermione,"

"Good night..." Hermione smiled as he walked back down the hall then turned around to the portrait of the fat lady to find she was blushing, laughing a bit and covering her eyes. "Ahem," Hermione said.

"Oh yes dear, all done are we?" Hermione turned red and nodded, "Don't worry darling, I see that every night. I don't tell any body, password?"

"Crispy Caramel Crumpets," The fat lady nodded and Hermione sighed in relief, walking into her common room.

Lavender and Pavarti were still in the Common Room, laughing and giggling with some seventh year boys but Hermione was unaware of them. All she could think of was what just happened. She made her way up to her room and when she opened the door she saw a familiar friend sitting cross-legged and expectant on her bed.

She jumped up at the sight of Hermione and ran over to her, "finally! I left Harry hours ago and came back here just to wait!"

"You cancelled your date with Harry and waited for me to come back for an hour?" Hermione asked as she put her bag on her desk chair.

"Kind of,"

"How did you go about that?"

"Well I told him I didn't feel well and thought I should just get some rest for the big game,"

"Oh Ginny, he must have been devastated," Hermione said shaking her head.

"Yes he's probably balling like a baby...now, tell me what happened!" Ginny squealed.

Ginny's watch read 12:01 when Hermione concluded her explanation. They had both gotten into their pajamas by now and were sitting cross-legged across from each other on Hermione's bed, Hermione smirked and said, "and he just kissed me good night in the corridor, in front of the portrait,"

Ginny's mouth was opened slightly and her expression read, 'wow'. "This was Draco Malfoy right?"

"Yes," Hermione laughed in disbelief.

"This is so hard to believe,"

"I know, I never thought I would kiss Draco Malfoy,"

"Or any one," Ginny laughed.

"Ginny!" Hermione said, "it wasn't that bad, I mean on Christmas there was Harry, two years ago there was Viktor…I just wasn't in a rush!"

"Okay, okay...Is he a good kisser?"

"Well I can't recall paying much attention to the kiss...just the fact it was actually happening...but from what I can remember it wasn't as bad as I would have imagined...in fact it was good, great...perhaps even amazing,"

"Hermione, did anything other then a kiss happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're giggling and glowing, you're smiling and you haven't stopped,"

"What are you getting at?" Hermione laughed.

"I think this was more then a kiss, you're just so happy,"

"It is different isn't it?" Hermione sighed and lied back on her bed.

Ginny smiled at her happy friend, "so are you two dating now? Like secretly?"

"Nope,"

"You mean you're telling the whole school! You know I like surprises Hermione, but this might be a bit too much for all of Hogwarts to hear!"

"No, Ginny! I mean we're not dating, "

"Oh,"

"We didn't even talk about that…" Hermione said thinking about it, "I don't think there's much reason to any way. You should like and get to know some one before you date them, it's really not an issue,"

"I suppose you're right, this all is a bit sudden,"

Hermione nodded for a moment but then her face fell, "Ginny, why are you so okay with this? If I were to tell Harry or Ron they'd be freaking out, hating me, calling me the most stupid smart person they know,"

"Well, maybe it's because I'm a girl, the girl that knows you the best. I know you never go on dates; you never flirt or do anything. You've been asked out many times but always refuse with the 'I have to study that night' line. You're obviously attractive to guys, but it would seem you're almost oblivious to the fact you could get involved with them. For you to actually let go and not block a boy with school must have taken a better pick up line then 'you're beautiful, kiss me'. I mean I've grown to hate Malfoy, I've learned to thank him because of recent circumstances, but that didn't alter my thoughts on him very much. He's made my brother so humiliated at points! But if you, you who has more reason then any one in this school to hate him, can be charmed by him...it tells me that not only has he changed; he has actually gotten your attention in a way never thought possible by a guy in this school,"

Hermione smiled, "Thanks Ginny," and she leaned up to hug Ginny.

"Anytime," Ginny laughed as she hugged Hermione.

"You know…" Hermione said, "Ron thought that I going to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum was fraternizing with the enemy, I wonder what he'd call this?"

"I can only imagine. He'd probably disown you if he could." Ginny laughed.

"That's what I'm afraid of…" Hermione said quietly to her self.

Much later that night, they had finally decided to get to sleep. Ginny knew she needed her sleep for the game, so she was out like a light. Hermione, how ever, couldn't sleep. Her body was exhausted but sleep just wasn't coming. She lied on her side, staring out her window at the full moon and bright stars. She wondered if Draco had gotten to sleep. _Probably._ She turned back on her back and Crookshanks came, lay by her side, and was purring loudly. Hermione sighed and stroked Crookshanks' side, still wide awake. She shut her eyes tight hoping she would eventually fall asleep but all she saw when she closed her eyes was Draco. She slowly smiled as she thought of him and drifted off to sleep.


	20. Chapter Twenty: Learning From Mistakes

**Chapter 20:** Learning From Mistakes

"Good night..." Hermione smiled and she disappeared around the corner. Draco let out a deep breathe and turned around to walk to the Slytherin Common Room, she was so beautiful and she made him nervous. It was a surprise that any girl would ever be able to do that, he was usually the dominant one but all things considering there really wasn't a dominant one in their case.

"Drakkie," Pansy squealed jumping up off the black leather sofa as Draco entered the Common Room. Draco was about to ignore her and just walk up to his dorm, but Pansy jumped in front of him, "you've been gone for so long. Where did you go?"

"To finish my Potions project Pansy,"

"Oh, well...that's no excuse,"

Draco sighed, "oh no, could you ever forgive me for doing my work Pansy?"

"Perhaps; you could come up to my bedroom, Millicent is in Gavin's room and I don't think she's coming back tonight,"

"Pansy, I don't think-,"

"Oh come on Draco," Pansy said wrapping her arms around his neck, "we haven't...you know, in a while,"

"Pansy, why do you keep this up?"

"What do you mean Draco?" Pansy asked and whispered in his ear, "You know you love the sex,"

Draco was revolted. Was this really what he used to be? Tonight he had been so close to such an amazing girl and not even once did the thought of sex or any thing related to what he ever shared with Pansy had crossed his mind. He was attracted to Hermione, but really attracted. Not this sad excuse of attraction and love, Draco and Pansy had done nothing but use each other for simple escape and a few minutes of impractical pleasure.

Every girl he had ever been with, every girl he had lusted over was just to bottle all of this up emotion that he kept inside. He was now letting his emotion out on Hermione, but he felt some thing for her and hopefully over time could have emotions better then these with her. Draco looked at Pansy's ugly face which was awaiting a yes, a trip to her room, possibly a condom and one minute of heaven for her and hell for him. But she would never get that again, not from him. Never would he do such gross and unnecessary things again, now that he had found some thing so much greater with Hermione. "Not tonight Pansy," Not ever, _EVER_ again.

"Why not Draco, what is the problem? Are you having trouble down there?"

_As if she is asking me this…_"Pansy, is it possible that I'm just interested in someone different,"

Pansy laughed, "Who? Pamela Hamel? Lindsay Barnes? Hah, maybe it's even Sue-Ellen White! Come on Draco, you know that no other girl can satisfy you like I can,"

"That's not true, no other girl can make him sick like you can," Blaise said appearing out of no where. Draco sighed in relief, he was saved. "Draco I know you've had a busy night but I think you may have forgotten your package from home that is upstairs,"

"Oh right," Said Draco and suddenly the excitement of his night began to move to the back of his head as he felt the letter in his robe pocket; the letter that he received from his mother. "Thanks Blaise,"

"You better get up to it; I think it's really important,"

"It's not as important as what I want to do with Draco," Pansy defended.

Draco rolled his eyes and looked at Blaise. Blaise smiled, "what you want to do with Draco should be considered illegal in this country,"

"Blaise, that's why you're no fun," Pansy whined.

"Oh, Pansy that hurts," Blaise said trying to look hurt, "why don't I keep you company and you can apologize to me?"

"Why would I do that? I want to have some fun with Dr-,"

"Come a long Pansy," Blaise interrupted taking her arm, "I can teach you the term 'coming on too strong',"

Pansy squealed and Draco laughed, the things Blaise did for him were the most helpful any one did for him. The more his mind begged him to have Hermione in the center of his mind, the more his conscious felt obligated to only think about his mothers letter at the time. Draco waved to Blaise, who seemed to be already developing a headache, and walked up to his room.

Draco took the piece of parchment out of his pocket and stared at it. Draco sighed opening his bedroom door. Malficious was sleeping on the floor; Draco's package was on the bed, and the letter in his hand. Draco flung his backpack beside his desk and sat on his bed. He looked inside the bundle, thousands of silver and gold coins were inside. Draco wondered how Malficious was able to fly with it, but Augurey's were indeed very strong. Draco stood up and began to walk back and forth between his bed and the bathroom.

Over the hour he kept coming up with useless ideas. There were only a few problems. He couldn't go home to talk to her; it would be against her will. He didn't want her to be harmed. He didn't know what to reply to her. And last but not least…whenever he closed his eyes, he saw Hermione.

Draco sighed, he had to do some thing. He got out ink, a quill and a piece of parchment. He began to write,

_**Dear Mum,**_

**_I received your letter and I understand every thing. I have an idea of what I can do for the summer; the school is allowing four students to go on a trip to Rome. I don't know if I can go yet, but if you can convince father the professor's asked me to go he will not think I am avoiding him. I could even come home and talk to him briefly before I leave, even if I'm not accepted I could still go to Rome just for my own protection. I'm sorry this instance has put you in a compromising position; I don't want any harm to come to you either. I'm very confused about what has happened and how I feel about Hermione Granger now, I know you don't want to hear that but she's opened my eyes so much and I hope you can accept it. I love you and miss you, I hope you get this letter soon; write back if possible and I will try to be in touch._**

**_You're son, Draco_**

"Malficious," Draco said, tapping the beast's snout. It twitched for a moment, but opened one eye and saw Draco. He immediately got to his knees (if he stood on his feet he would hit the ceiling), awake and ready for a command. "Go back to the manor, alright?" Malficious began to paw at Draco's hand, looking for some kind of letter or any thing to send back. Draco tucked the letter safely into the collar. He walked to his window and opened the latch, "Go back to the manor, and see my mum first. Try to make sure she is fine. If she's not, come back," The animal showed he understood by a nod and took off out of the window. Draco walked to his bed, picked up his mother's letter and folded it. He went and put it inside his desk and sighed.

That night as the anxiety of his mother's letter began to ease out of his mind, he let thoughts of Hermione re-enter. He had had a magnificent night and wanted to enjoy it as long as possible. That night he fell asleep forgetting all about his cares in the world, all except his newest care in the world; Hermione.

The next morning when Draco awoke, he heard Blaise singing. Draco opened an eye and saw Blaise combing his hair in Draco's washroom. Draco thought of any possibilities why Blaise would be singing, but couldn't find any. Unless-

"You didn't! Draco said sitting up in his bed.

"What is it Draco?" Blaise said and went on humming.

Draco jumped out of bed, "with Pansy, you didn't…did you?"

"For the sake of all that is sacred, no. What ever gave you that idea?"

"You're singing,"

"Yes, but not because of that; if that had happened, I would be crying, not signing. There's a difference."

Draco sighed, "Oh okay," He went to turn around but raised an eyebrow, "Wait, why were you singing?"

"Tell me what happened last night and then I'll tell you the great news!" Draco wondered what the news was, and was very curious; but he was also very aware he would have to tell Blaise to get the answer. "You could start off after I left," Blaise sat down and listened all the way till just before Ginny caught them and they actually go to work. "So you like her?" Blaise was asking a question he already knew the answer to, but the real question was, could Draco admit it to him?

"A lot more then I thought," Draco said, but he wasn't dreading it like the day he saved her life. Draco told Blaise the rest of the story up till when he saw him in the Common Room.

"And Ronald's sister really caught you?"

"Afraid so," Draco sighed.

"No need to worry," Blaise said, "girls have this kind of alliance, especially Gryffindors...they never betray each other,"

"We can only hope,"

"So what exactly is going on between the two of you now?"

"Magic," Draco sighed with a smile.

"I mean the situation…I'd like the definitive version that isn't all bubbly please!"

"I like her, Blaise. Not like Pansy, not like any girl before I have liked. I don't want to rush into it, rush into sex and end up with a mess. After Pansy and every other girl and after I found out the life my father set for me, I realized some thing. I don't want just any one, just any Slytherin. I don't want some one to sleep with and never really know; I want some one special. Even if it is next to the impossible, Hermione might be that someone. If she is, time will take its course. Because already I feel that connection with her, a bond that says its possible and its going to happen sooner rather than later. You can call it wish fulfillment or delusion of the highest adolescent order but I'm telling you, some thing primal is here and when I feel like it's more then primal I will not lose the chance to ask her to be with me,"

Blaise nodded respectfully, Draco had learned from his one big mistake: Pansy. If he ever had a primal moment with Pansy, they had sex right after it. "I guess my news will be even better then,"

"What is it?"

"You're application was accepted; you'll be in Rome with Professor Gibbs, two students and Hermione. You'll practically be spending a summer with Hermione,"


	21. Chapter Twenty One: Victory

**Chapter 21:** Victory

Hermione sighed; she was incredibly tired as she watched the last Quidditch Game of the year. She had had a shower, a coffee, even a chocolate frog and out here around hundreds of screaming students she was still tired! She wondered if Draco had also had the problem of being tired right now. _Probably not..._Hermione laughed at the thought. _At this moment he's probably hoping it was just a night mare. The truth was it wasn't; it really happened. It was exciting and great and strange and true. What would happen next though?_

"Look, Hermione! Harry has caught the Snitch," Hannah shoved, interrupting her thoughts. "Gryffindor won!"

"Oh!" Even though this wasn't the answer she was meaning for when she wondered what would happen next, some one else other then Draco did deserve her thoughts..._right?_

"Let's go see them!" Hannah said, excited out of her mind. Hermione nodded and followed her all the way from their seats down to the field where the team was huddled around Harry. Ron turned around and hugged Hannah as she congratulated him. As they began to have a kiss with his sweaty and dirty face against her pretty and clean face, Hermione turned away and laughed.

She saw Harry and Ginny pulling away from an embrace and ran over to them, "congratulations! Both of you played great!"

"Thanks," Harry said.

"Are you sure you weren't drifting off?" Ginny laughed and Hermione glared at her with a quizzical grin.

"What?" Harry asked puzzled.

"Nothing," Hermione laughed loudly shaking it off, "will I see you both back in the Common Room?"

"Eventually," Harry said looking at Ginny.

"We'll be there in a few minutes," Ginny agreed.

Hermione bit her lip, trying not to laugh at what they were possibly planning to do, probably make up for lost time last night. She realized then..._I really have been missing out._ At that moment Ron ran up behind her as Harry and Ginny ran away together, and picked her up, hugging her from behind.

"Ron!" Hermione protested, but laughed.

"How did you know?" Ron laughed putting her down.

"Well Harry just-," instead of saying left with his younger and only sister she said, "left from seeing me, I supposed you were the only other guy that could or would lift me,"

Ron laughed, "If you would let them, any guy in this school would and definitely could lift you up, you are tiny!"

"Are you saying I don't get around with boys enough?"

"Actually ever, so in a word: yes," Hermione rolled her eyes...if only he knew what his sister knew, he wouldn't think that any more but then again he would probably hate Hermione. Even though Harry and Ron were probably grateful to Draco now, that didn't really change what Draco had done to them before even if Hermione felt differently and knew somehow he had changed. Ron laughed, "I'm kidding 'Mione," And gave her a hug, "but it's true you know," he said pulling away but before she could protest he put his arm around her and said, "come on, lets get to the Common Room, I'm expected there by people other then Hannah for once!" Hermione laughed and followed him.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two: Examing and Dancing

**Chapter 22:** Examing and dancing

The weekend ended quickly, and many sixth year students were prepared to take their first exam: Potions. In Sixth year, each exam was a demonstration of your knowledge without help from a text book or a teacher, and instead of the judges for the OWLs, they preformed their knowledge for the professor to see if they were fit to move to Seventh Year, double potions: extended, in the next semester (if they chose to) or would have to repeat this course.

Hermione was about the calmest person standing outside of Snape's dungeon-like classroom. She stood with her final assignment of Dreamless Sleep Potions in her hands and smirked at Harry and Ron who were oblivious as to where Blaise was with their project and also unaware of half of the ingredients that made a Calming Potion.

Hermione was certain she knew everything there was to know about a calming potion and was therefore ready for whatever Snape had to throw at her. She was confident that she would do Outstanding on this demonstration exam. The rest of the students however looked nervous, very nervous but it only fed to Hermione's confidence. Harry and Ron were pacing trying to remember things; quizzing each other on their knowledge.

"No, Harry that's wrong because if the rose pedals aren't alive they have no affect," Ron said.

Hermione couldn't take it any more and stepped between the both of them. "No, both of you; the rose pedals must be dead, withered and calm like the dead and rested. Live rose pedals are what you see in a stimulant potion. Live rose pedals ruin this entire potion. You must remember that," Ron and Harry both began to worry; Hermione sighed, "and for Merlin's sake, testing each other before an exam is the first cause of stress. You will forget everything you have been capable or remembering so you should stop before it gets any worse,"

They nodded and agreed but began testing themselves once again, whispering under their breath what they thought needed to be done. Hermione shook her head and smiled, those were her best friends. They didn't know much about Potions, but than again they were also oblivious about her Friday night excitement. She felt bad for not telling the people who knew her best, but she knew it was for the best right now if they didn't know.

"Hello Hermione," Hermione felt a nervous surge rush through her self as she turned her vision from Harry and Ron to the person who spoke, Draco. Before she could say anything; he said, "Did you bring our project?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, of course," Hermione said lifting up the bundle of parchment in her hands.

"Are you as nervous as I am for the exam?"

Hermione smiled slightly and shook her head, "some how I managed to study this weekend. Didn't you?"

"Oh of course, my whole weekend was strictly…studying," He said flashing a grin at her.

Hermione was turning crimson but then the large dungeon door opened, revealing Snape; Hermione turned her attention to the professor, but not everyone's chatter desisted.

"Am I to understand there are some Sixth Year students that do not wish to pass my class?" Snape asked the few students of both Slytherin and Gryffindor who had not stopped talking, but at these words they fell silent. Snape gave a pleased grin, "You will file into the class room, your seats have been assigned and your name will be labeled on your stool. There will be two to a table, each of different houses and there will be no talking; if you wish to pass, that is. You will not be able to begin until I receive your last project. So I will call you by your group names and then you shall file into the room. Once the door is closed you will write down the ingredients you need on the parchment given on your seat. Once I give them to you, the exam will begin and you will have two hours to complete the assigned Potion." Snape took out a list of what seemed to be the names of the groups, "Malfoy and Granger," he called out first.

Draco and Hermione both stepped forward before Snape. Hermione gave Snape the project. Snape allowed them both entrance into the classroom. Pieces of parchment were set on each stool baring the names of the student assigned there. They each started at opposite ends and tried to find their names. They both arrived at the table in the very middle.

"Think I could look off your sheet?"

Hermione laughed quietly and picked up her slip of parchment and sat on the stool, "you wish,"

Draco shook his head, "the only thing I'm wishing for right now is-," Neville Longbottom and Pansy Parkinson walked in, "good luck Hermione," _He said my name again…I hope he doesn't stop._ She smiled and let out a deep breathe as she began to write down her ingredients.

_Draco POV _

"Good luck Draco," he heard her say. He smiled and began to write down his own ingredients. Potter, Weasley and Blaise now entered. Draco wondered why it took so long for each group to enter but sat there and waited, jogging his mind through the experiment. After what seemed like hours later, Snape shut the door and filed around every desk to pick up the pieces of parchment.

The ingredients they needed were distributed in an instant with some spell. Almost every one had different amounts of substances on their desks and many students sighed when they saw Hermione's, sure hers were the right ones. Even so they all made their Potions and after a long period of time they were exiting the Potions room. Hermione had cast him a partial smile, but they never got to talk for the rest of the week, and he really wanted to. She always seemed occupied with studying, tutoring, or any thing. He was always looking at her in each class to see where she left to and it was always her tower or the library and when she went to the library she was always with Potter or Weasley or any one else.

He couldn't wait to tell her about him joining her in the summer. It was just going to be him, her, Professor Gibbs and two other students. During that whole time they could talk and get to know each other better then they already knew each other.

But he never got a chance to speak with her. After Potions she went to help Potter and Weasley study for Astronomy. After the Astronomy exam she was tutoring in the library with Ginny and other 5th year students while studying for Arithmancy herself. The whole week it had impossible for them to see each other.

Now it was Friday night, a week since he had kissed her. All of the sixth year students were having a dance celebration in the Main Hall for finishing exams. Fifth years did have a celebration, but not with the sixth years. Seventh years were already done exams and had a week off before they would come back for their graduation from Hogwarts.

But this dance wasn't like normal ones. There was fast, techno-like music and the lights were shut off but there were light effects going on all around there. It was all controlled by Pierce Underhill, playing the records with his hands and every odd few minutes he would set the lights under a different spell. Draco recognized him as a past student here; he played for Hufflepuff's Quidditch team in Draco's second year which was Pierce's seventh. He was muggle born and his occupation seemed to be bringing muggle music to magic places.

Draco noticed Pierce was laughing and having so much fun with what he was doing, laughing and talking to the bemused McGonagall and spinning records and moving to the beat like all of the students. It probably wasn't much of a profitable job, but he seemed to enjoy it. Draco didn't even know what he was going to do. He always assumed he would do as his father said: a simple but profitable job while serving the Dark Lord. But all Draco wanted was to play Quidditch, he wondered if he could ever make that happen.

"Draco lets dance!" Pansy said over the loud music, jumping in front of him.

"Not now Pansy," Draco said, not ready to move from his seat. Other then noticing Pierce in the back of his mind he was wondering where in Merlin's name Hermione was.

"Oh Drakkie! Come on," And without his consent she dragged him up off the chair and into the middle of the dance floor. Draco seemed to catch on to what Pansy called "grinding" and "going low" but little did he want to do it with her. _Why am I doing this?_ Draco wondered.

Pansy slowed down, "Kiss me Draco,"

"Uh-," Suddenly the volume of the music went down and everyone turned to Pierce. Draco practically jumped out of Pansy's arms.

"Good evening current pupils of the magnificent school of Hogwarts!" He said cheerfully, "You may not recognize me but I used to be a Hufflepuff student on the Quidditch team, and I hope you're enjoying your time here! I'm told you are all sixth year students, so make sure you are prepared for next year because it is the best year of them all! You get to do every and any thing, and after that...you're done! And the possibilities are endless with the education you have gained here!" Pierce laughed, "but enough about school, you're at a dance! The reason why I have stopped the music temporarily is, I'd like to interest you students in a Snowball"

The students began to question each other as to what this meant but he got their attention, "A snowball is very simple. I chose one girl and one boy to begin dancing the middle of the circle you will make in the middle of the dance floor. Once I say snowball, you chose different partners! Once the circle has filled; every one can then dance. But the selection of the students will be very different to what you might expect. You see, since I was schooled here there has always been a big rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, not so much Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff so I would like to chose on Slytherin and one Gryffindor to begin.

"I have asked the dear Professor McGonagall," who he grinned to at the moment, "for some names to select, so here I go," Pierce reached into a bag beside his record player and pulled out a small piece of parchment, "from Slytherin House, do we have a Blaise Zabini?" The students all began to clear back and make a circle in the middle of the dance floor which Blaise stepped out into. Pierce picked another name and read, "And from Gryffindor House, a Hermione Granger?" The students all began to cheer as Hermione walked onto the middle of the dance floor, meeting Blaise. _What irony…my best friend and my best girl._

"Now you two students, I will put the lights down a bit lower, start the music and after a few seconds I will say Snowball. Remember; try your best not to choose some one from the same house,"

Draco watched longingly as Hermione wrapped her arms around Blaise's neck. The lights went down and they began to slow dance. It was a bad excuse for proper dancing which Draco knew very well, but he was also sure that not many students in the school even knew what a proper dance was regardless of how some danced two years ago at the Yule Ball, this was no Yule Ball.

_Hermione POV_

Hermione met Blaise in the middle of the dance floor and he bowed to her. She laughed and curtsied and walked closer to him. Suddenly the lights fell again and a song she recognized began to play, it was "Feels Like Home" by a North American singer named Chantal Kreviazuk. She only knew this because she got her record as one of her presents last Christmas.

"Are you having a fun night Hermione?" Blaise asked.

"It's alright, and you?"

"Same, but I think Draco needs rescuing. I know it's probably still weird for you two, but when the guy says snowball, would you mind...? I know Draco wouldn't mind,"

Hermione laughed. She peered over Blaise's shoulder to see Pansy hanging over Draco she was a bit jealous but when he noticed her looking at him he smiled and so did she, "don't worry I can't wait to dance with him,"

Blaise laughed, "I can't believe you two, I am happy for you, but it's still hard to believe,"

"So are you Draco's Ginny?" Hermione smiled.

"Who else?" Blaise laughed.

Hermione laughed and Pierce called out: "snowball!"

"Thanks for the dance," Blaise said and headed towards where most Gryffindor girls awaited nervously. Blaise may have been a Slytherin, but mostly every girl appreciated his manners compared to other Slytherin guys.

_Draco POV_

Draco set his attention back to Hermione. Pierce said, "snowball," Draco watched Hermione as she began to walk towards him. He could hear Pansy begin to laugh loudly but when Hermione nervously held her hand out, he took it and followed her back out onto the dance floor. She put her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You know, this means I might have to dance with Pansy after this," Draco said, but not dreading it because right now he got to dance with Hermione.

"I thought I'd rescue you as long as I could," Hermione said.

"Thanks," Draco laughed.

"You're welcome," Hermione said, "want to talk later?"

"Definitely," He said.

Draco held her close as they danced and he really didn't want to let go. He would probably begin to kiss her if there just weren't so many shocked eyes on them, but he was still happiest he'd been all week just being close to her. He felt he could do that all night and not get tired or even drowsy, but then it ended with one word.

"Snowball,"

Hermione pulled away with a small smile, "See you later,"

"Yeah," Draco said, he couldn't wait. Then as she walked over to a shocked Harry Potter and they began to dance as Pansy appeared in front of Draco.

"Let's dance Draco!"

"Fine," Draco said, placing his hands on the middle of her back as she tightly locked her arms around his neck. Draco was happy when the Snowball was over, because the only girl he enjoyed dancing with was Hermione. It was pretty annoying when Pansy asked, 'so who cares if she wanted you to dance with her, why would you do it in the first place?'

Later in the night once Draco had escaped Pansy, he was over at the punch table with Blaise. Blaise handed him a cup of punch and they sat down at a table.

"Did you like dancing with her?" Blaise inquired over the music.

"I didn't want to let her go," Draco said loudly.

"Neither does Costin Watters," Blaise said pointing to Hermione and her dance partner.

"What are they doing?" Draco demanded.

"Dancing," Blaise answered.

"Oh," Draco said. He noticed Hermione pulling away from him and heading towards the punch table, "I need some punch," he said walking over to the table with a full cup of punch.

"Have fun," Blaise said watching a very determined Draco walk towards the table trying not to look obvious.

_Hermione POV_

"Costin," Hermione said, "Costin!"

"What is it My-ione?" Costin asked, pulling away.

"Um, I'm going to get some punch,"

"Oh, I'm thirsty too, I'll co-,"

"NO! I mean...you stay here and keep dancing," Hermione said with a big smile, "_darling,_ I'll get it for you,"

"Ok," Costin said smiling.

Hermione sighed and practically ran to the punch table. She couldn't stand him! Costin Watters was her date for the dance. It was a surprise date arranged by Ron and Hannah and even Harry. They felt it was time for her, to experience at least one date before Seventh Year. So without her consent, Hannah asked Costin (another Hufflepuff who had apparently mentioned Hermione was cute).

But he was horrible and annoying. He was horrible at dancing, holding and even talking. He called her "My-ione". He explained that everyone calls her "Mione" and since he planned on dating her he could call her: My-ione. It was dreadfully annoying. Hermione sighed, she had had fun before the Snowball and even during but after they had been introduced it was hell. Harry had said she was being too picky about it, but the truth was she was interested in Draco! Not leaping into some thing she would find horrendous with Costin.

Hermione shrugged and picked up a glass cup at the punch table and began to pour punch. Unlike herself she almost wished it was spiked so she could get through tonight, even if it was she wouldn't be able to tell though, even at home with her muggle friends she hadn't done much 'partying'. She took a sip of her punch and noticed Draco walking to the other side of the table. She looked at the charmer in front of her and back at the crazy man who awaited her.

She waited till Costin looked away from her and walked to the other side of the table right in front of him and placed her cup on the table holding her hand up to him, "wanna rescue me again?" Draco smiled and put his glass down, he took her hand and together they walked passed all of the preoccupied students and teachers.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three: Just a Kiss

**Chapter 23: **Just a Kiss

As the dancing in the Main Hall persisted, Draco and Hermione's lips touched softly and gently under a weeping willow tree near the school's walls. Having asked him to rescue her she now felt it was apparent he had done so in more than one way. Her fingers were intertwined with his at their sides; words had yet to be spoken.

Hermione giggled at the repetition of these detached, open-mouthed kisses and smiled at her kisser. Draco smiled and continued. Ever since last week when he saved her life new things were happening to him. He had never given these gentle, meaningful kisses before, nor had he ever received them. The best most stimulating part of it was this was Hermione Granger.

Draco pulled slightly away from her lips, he had been waiting this whole week to know what she had been thinking and feeling ever since the week of last and at that very moment, "first of all I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my lips," Hermione grinned up at him and opened her eyes, "I've never been kissed like that before,"

_**Hermione POV**_

"It's just a kiss," she laughed.

"There's no such thing as _just a kiss_,"

She blushed. "Well, not since last week,"

He smiled, "last week a lot of things changed,"

"Yeah," Hermione agreed with an exhale of reality.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked.

"Draco I spent all exam week thinking about you, and how great you are and how great you made me feel last week. And at first I thought of how great it would be to spend the summer getting to know you with out pressure's of family's and friends to influence our decisions but then I remembered I am going to be in Rome the entire summer,"

"Hermione, I'm-,"

She interrupted him, "But even then I thought about it," She said, "I don't care if we don't get to see each other this summer…well I do but,"

"But Hermione, I-,"

"Like Pierce said," She said, not letting him get a word in till she said her piece. Meanwhile he decided to let her do so and leaned against the tree, "Seventh year will be the best. But I think together, we can make it better than the best," Hermione smiled even knowing a long summer could always alter these plans but laughed when she saw him leaning against the tree, "I'm sorry,"

"Why? I think making seventh year better than best is a great idea, especially if we can do it together," He smirked.

She sighed in relief, "It will be hard to keep 'this' a secret,"

He sighed and got up from leaning against the tree. He took her hands in his and looked at her, "Hermione, if we want to have a relationship, a friendship, or just be sex partners," Hermione's eyes widened at the last suggestion wondering if it really would go that far. _Sex with Draco Malfoy? _"We'll have a whole summer to define what we want and decide if we want to keep it a secret or not and get used to it if we do," Those words got Hermione's mind off an even bigger issue of sex and back on track where she was wondering what he meant.

"But Draco that's impossible," She said shaking her head.

"It probably would be if I wasn't coming to Rome on the Ancient Ruins trip,"

Hermione was smirking in disbelief, "we're going to be together in Rome?"

"Well," he sighed with a shrug, "why not? I've nothing better to do," Hermione giggled with a wide-eyed smile and squeezed his hands. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him. He laughed and spun her around slowly until he noticed some thing in the corner of his eye. Although this was a great moment of revelation some thing was possibly just about to ruin it. "Some one's watching us," Draco said although the figure didn't look like a young curious student. Hermione glanced at the object and she had a feeling she knew what it was. Draco gently put Hermione down, took one of his hands and reached down into his pocket where his wand was, but even before he pulled it out there was a loud screeching noise and the figure began to run.

Hermione quickly emerged from under the tree and began to run after it, "come on Draco," she whispered loudly.

Draco didn't wait for an explanation as to why she was running towards some thing unknown and ran after her. Of course, her trio of herself Ron and Harry was always famous for running after trouble. She probably only followed to advise them not to break many school rules or do any thing else to her that was stupid. Their need of wanting to know what every little thing was probably just grew on her. They dashed as fast as they could, still hearing music from inside the school as they chased the dark figure all the way to a big rock which they hid behind by the edge of the lake. The figure was now seen clearly and was drinking from the lake. The figure was pale grey, had two bulging round eyes on top of its head, and four spindly legs with enormous flat feet.

"It's a mooncalf," Hermione smiled at the beautiful creature, catching her breath. Draco sighed in relief. "Every full moon, mooncalves emerge from their burrows and look for mates to perform complicated dances on their hind legs as a mating call under the moonlight in insolated areas," Hermione explained, "It was probably looking for another mooncalf to perform a dance for and probably thought that's what we were when you spun me around,"

"We haven't learned about mooncalves from Hagrid yet," Draco said, putting his wand back in his pants, "how do you know all of that?"

Hermione shrugged and began to walk back to the willow tree as she still peered over her shoulder at the mooncalf, "I had tea with Hagrid one day while Harry and Ron practiced for Quidditch, and I asked him about what he was currently teaching his Magizoology class,"

"That's a seventh year class for people who want to be Magizoologists," Hermione nodded, "So you don't like Quidditch?"

"I don't really understand the rules," Hermione admitted as she passed through the vines and sat by the tree.

"Well we can't have that, I shall have to educate you on the game," Draco said sitting in front of her, "I could even wait and take you flying when school starts again," Hermione was always afraid of flying. Her two past wizard boyfriends had been Quidditch players and both had promised that; yet some how she never got the chance to fly with Harry or Viktor. She had a feeling though, that Draco probably would take her and no matter how afraid she was it would probably subside with the fact he saved her life and even if some how she did fall he would catch her again. But apparently Draco could see her doubt, "or not?"

Hermione nodded, smiled and changed the subject, "I bet you'll lose if you try to challenge me to a thumb war,"

"There's where you're wrong, it's not just a muggle children's game, I know it quite well," Draco insisted. They joined right hands and began to try and capture each others thumb. He held down her thumb down for a minute and let go, "now tell me your greatest desires,"

Hermione held down his thumb and smirked, "tell me a secret," she challenged.

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Almost," Hermione said as they went at it again, "but any one can see your desires. No one knows what's in your heart,"

"Alright, you scare me."

"I _scare_ you?" she laughed and he held her thumb down.

"In the best, most desirable way- you scare me. I was so scared to want you and now that I do I'm just scared to screw up like I always do. And I love the way you scare me but it makes me nervous because usually I end up saying or doing something really stupid so I spend all this energy coming up with ideas to be smart so that you won't think I'm stupid and those ideas inherently backfire therefore making me look even more stupid. It's a vicious circle that didn't matter with the other girls because they were so stupid and didn't even notice or care if I was stupid. Hermione, I'm just scared that unlike any of the other girls, you'll find me stupid. Or even that you'll look at me in any way or form of the past and just know, oh he's stupid." Draco gave a deep breathe when he was done, he'd never admitted that to any girl or even any one.

What he just said almost confused her, but after a minute she got it and almost laughed, "Draco, you have to be the smartest guy I've ever met. Even when I loathed you I never thought you were stupid. Some times you'd know an answer before I did in class and it would scare me to think some one I hated so much knew some thing I didn't. But now you don't scare me because I finally don't feel like you'd laugh at my lack of intelligence if you noticed it. And if I'm relieved of such a fear, you should be too,"

Draco hugged her tightly and sighed in relief, "you still haven't told me you're greatest desires,"

Hermione bit her lip, pulled away from his hug and smiled, "isn't it obvious?"

Draco looked into her eyes to discover just what was so obvious. When he saw her glance down at his lips then back to his eyes, probably as quickly as possible he knew. He smiled and moved closer to her, but only rested his forehead on her forehead as he still held her hand from the thumb wars. He took a deep breath out, "What's gonna happen if I fall in love with you this summer Granger?"

Hermione blushed, but even with the moonlight shining through the vines it was too dark to tell. "I don't know…" she admitted, "but I wanna find out,"

Draco laughed out of both happiness and a sort of relief and at that moment fulfilled her greatest desires with not _just_ a kiss. While Draco and Hermione kissed another act of infatuation was occurring. Not far from them, a male mooncalf approached a dancing female mooncalf. They brushed there faces against each others under the full moon. The beautiful mooncalves gracefully made for a place where they would make their own burrow. So they strode to this place, past two students of Hogwarts who were already romancing, to mate.

_**A/N:**_

**_Hello Readers!_**

**_I would like to thank every one who has been reading and reviewing, I really appreciate positive reviews. Some of you long-time readers might know this has been a story for a long time but it was not until now I decided to go back, edit, and continue writing the entire story. I'll try to pace it a bit quicker now that I've put every thing the way I want to put it. So where does it go from here? It would seem as if every thing is perfect and working out fine but what kind of story would it be if it did! Read to find out! The next chapter will be up in no time at all and I hope you will review, continue reading, and enjoy my story! Thanks._**

_**-Angiil**_


End file.
